During our pre-Christian and Christian life, weve all experienced many things that we regret ever doing, or be involved in. Sometimes, when we realise our mistake, or mistakes, we go back and restitute the wrong, and correct our wrong, by saying, I am sorry! Please forgive me, or I am sorry! I forgive you!
Other times, because of our pride, we cant admit our mistake, or mistakes, and fail to right our wrong, by saying those fabulous, three-little words: I am wrong; Please forgive me, or I forgive you!
Sadly, the damage has been done, and we reap the consequences of failing to forgive. Memories, accusations, and self-condemnation flood our minds, and we go through, what some may refer to as mental gymnastics, but really, the mind becomes a battleground, and the enemy becomes part-and-parcel of it all. We beat ourselves up with guilt and shame, and with such words as, If ONLY?
From our own personal browbeating, we sometimes plunge into a pit of despair, and the weight of our sin, seems to crush the breath out of our body. Christians know, the forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly, many only accept the truth of it in their minds, but deep down inside of their hearts, there is a nagging doubt of the truth that they will know, the truth that will set them free (John 8:32).
So what can we do with those feelings of guilt, shame, and self-condemnation? We tend to beat ourselves up with whether its from God or our enemy. We keep on asking ourselves, Are we forgiven, or Are we fooling ourselves? Our struggles seem to be amplified by our ongoing failures in our attitudes, or actions, and maybe our situation is so terrible and painful that we say to ourself, Even if God forgives me, Ill never forgive myself!
Sadly, many of us think that our sins are so big and so terrible, that God wont forgive us, and there is no hope for us, because of those things that leave guilty scars upon our hearts.
We become haunted by our past fornication, adultery, homosexuality, prostitution, or perversion. Maybe, weve committed terrible crimes, have caused or been the victims of a painful divorce.
Others have emotionally tormented some of us, or we have tormented others through verbal abuse, such as our spouse or children, or injured them through physical abuse.
Others are carrying false feelings of guilt and condemnation, because they were on the receiving end of their wrong decisions or choices of other people.
Some have been careless, selfish, disobedient, or missed God altogether, and now irreparable damage has been done. Maybe a tragedy could have been avoided, had you acted differently.
But when we look at it all in another direction, then maybe these problems arent as devastating as they appear.
I believe that much of the real reason for most Christians feeling a discouragement, or failure, or the weight of guilt, is because they havent FORGIVEN THEMSELVES.
Now, the act of forgiving ourselves can only have value after we confess and repent our sin or sins, by taking our guilt and shame to our Lord Jesus Christ, and have received His forgiveness. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who can truly cleanse our heart from guilt, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7).
Other times, because of our pride, we cant admit our mistake, or mistakes, and fail to right our wrong, by saying those fabulous, three-little words: I am wrong; Please forgive me, or I forgive you!
Sadly, the damage has been done, and we reap the consequences of failing to forgive. Memories, accusations, and self-condemnation flood our minds, and we go through, what some may refer to as mental gymnastics, but really, the mind becomes a battleground, and the enemy becomes part-and-parcel of it all. We beat ourselves up with guilt and shame, and with such words as, If ONLY?
From our own personal browbeating, we sometimes plunge into a pit of despair, and the weight of our sin, seems to crush the breath out of our body. Christians know, the forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Sadly, many only accept the truth of it in their minds, but deep down inside of their hearts, there is a nagging doubt of the truth that they will know, the truth that will set them free (John 8:32).
So what can we do with those feelings of guilt, shame, and self-condemnation? We tend to beat ourselves up with whether its from God or our enemy. We keep on asking ourselves, Are we forgiven, or Are we fooling ourselves? Our struggles seem to be amplified by our ongoing failures in our attitudes, or actions, and maybe our situation is so terrible and painful that we say to ourself, Even if God forgives me, Ill never forgive myself!
Sadly, many of us think that our sins are so big and so terrible, that God wont forgive us, and there is no hope for us, because of those things that leave guilty scars upon our hearts.
We become haunted by our past fornication, adultery, homosexuality, prostitution, or perversion. Maybe, weve committed terrible crimes, have caused or been the victims of a painful divorce.
Others have emotionally tormented some of us, or we have tormented others through verbal abuse, such as our spouse or children, or injured them through physical abuse.
Others are carrying false feelings of guilt and condemnation, because they were on the receiving end of their wrong decisions or choices of other people.
Some have been careless, selfish, disobedient, or missed God altogether, and now irreparable damage has been done. Maybe a tragedy could have been avoided, had you acted differently.
But when we look at it all in another direction, then maybe these problems arent as devastating as they appear.
I believe that much of the real reason for most Christians feeling a discouragement, or failure, or the weight of guilt, is because they havent FORGIVEN THEMSELVES.
Now, the act of forgiving ourselves can only have value after we confess and repent our sin or sins, by taking our guilt and shame to our Lord Jesus Christ, and have received His forgiveness. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who can truly cleanse our heart from guilt, In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace (Eph. 1:7).
