Wrestling with Self Forgiveness (Part 1)
Perhaps one of the greatest mental struggles that we face as Christians is forgiving ourselves. We know our lives better than anyone else, and we also know our sins more than anyone else. Private sins shared only with God haunt us, and while God forgives 100%, the history of those sins can eat away at our psyche. More than that, sins that we commit in public may endure within our minds for years, constantly reminding us of our failures and creating feelings of inferiority. The truth is that most people do not even remember our foibles; they are usually preoccupied with their own troubled pasts, and good, decent people forgive and forget. So, the most pressing issue is how do we forgive ourselves?
We need to know that God loves us and forgives us. Sometimes people say to themselves, “God could never forgive me for what I have done.” That is a lie. He gave the highest price that He could give for us, His only begotten Son. Why would He hold back on us when He was willing to give everything for us? That is Paul’s point in Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” God is generous in forgiveness. Consider the case of the thief on the cross. Here is where that story is applicable. If Jesus forgave that sinful man who insulted Him just a few hours before, He will certainly forgive us. John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). We can be assured of God’s forgiveness.
God bless you, and I love you.
Kevin Cauley