How Do You Forgive Yourself?

I'm not trying to stir up trouble, but have you ever done something wrong in your life that you just cannot stop thinking about?  Are you still filled with guilt?  What thoughts run through your head when you think about it?  "I can't believe I did that."  "What was I thinking?"  "Why would I think that was okay?"  Do you ever wish you could simply hit the delete button much like you would after typing an error?  ...If you could just hit that delete key, everything would be okay again.  If you could hit that delete key, you wouldn't have to think about that mistake anymore.  If you could hit the delete key, the mistake would be forgotten forever...  I am here today, to tell you that the delete key has been pressed...for you.

Referring to the title of this post, I am going to have to disappoint you.  You do not have the power or capability to forgive yourself.  If you could forgive yourself, what was the point in Christ's death on the cross?  Let's take a moment to recall Romans 3:23-26, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.  God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood -to be received by faith.  He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished -he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus."  The forgiveness of our sins is a free gift to us from Christ; it's something he suffered extreme pain to give.  So why would you turn down something free that cost Christ everything?  He is begging you to take his free gift.  He literally died so you could have it.

"I will forgive their sins. I will remember their sins no more." Jeremiah 31:34b.  Okay.  Now go back and read that verse again.  God has forgiven our sins.  And because he has forgiven us, he no longer remembers those sins.  So if God, the almighty, all-powerful, and all-knowing ruler and judge of the earth, chooses to no longer remember our sins, why should we?  Why should we paralyze ourselves with guilt?

No human will ever be strong enough to forgive our sins.  But you can rest assured that God will forgive and forget our sins if we only ask.  So, do not rest on your own forgiveness; it will never satisfy you.  Think of Christ's journey to the cross: the mocking, the beating, the crown of thorns, the nails driven through his flesh, the piercing of his side.  When Christ hung on that cross he said, "It is finished."  At that point, it was over, done, finished.  Christ pressed that delete button on every sin you have ever committed.  The only thing you have left to do is accept it.  Receive his forgiveness.  "Click delete."

This post was again inspired by The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer.