Lately, I've been wondering, what does God say about mistakes? They certainly make us human and imperfect, right? I fall short of God's standards and glory. The last couple weeks God has showed me that I tend to dwell on my weaknesses and mistakes too much. I wanted to learn how to deal with this better so I can be more God-centered. So, I shared with my Mom and here's some material that she gave me to read from her Bible study. (Everything below that is indented was taken from The Resolution for Women, by Shirer) It was so, so refreshing and what I needed to hear!
The Bible doesn't tell us to forgive ourselves
You have no responsibility- or even capability, for that matter-to forgive yourself.
Here's the reality you and I are instructed to rest in:
Romans 3:23-26, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. "
Bottom line: forgiveness of your sins is something Christ suffered a terrifying death to give you. And His work was so complete, He is thereby able to promise and dclare to you and me: Jeremiah 31:34, "I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." He has pressed the delete key over every sin you've ever committed. And He Himself-you ultimate Ruler and Judge- chooses never to recall your misdeeds to mind again, not with the intent of punishing them. So, why should you?
Actually, when you think about it, to say "I can't forgive myself " means you don't fully believe that what He did was quite enough, that in some strange way His forgiveness of you is inadequate. This is the arrogant hubristic tendency of fallan humanity, refusing to accept that His gift was and still is enough. But it is.
And yes, it must be. For human forgiveness is strong enough- not even your own to ever free you from the torturous reminder of your offense and the clake of guilt it lays on your shoulders.
Even if you were somehow able to find it and apply it, it wouldn't be enough.
Only through a gracious acceptance of the gift exended to you through Christ Jesus, will you ever really be free- free from the bondage, free from its hold, free to say that your Savior Himself pressed the delete button for your sins when He... Walked the road to Calvary...
That's when you received all the forgiveness you'd ever need. When He cried, "It is finished!" John 19:30 All that's left for you now is to accept this for the fact that it is legitimately and eternally is. In doing this, you have forgiven yourself. You've done well not to let pride downgrade your sin in your own eyes so that you think it's hardly deserving of a slay on the wrist. But seeing clearly the depth of your failure and iniquity, you must let your "godly grief" produce "a repentance not to be regretted" (2 Corinthians 7:10)There are three choices that can be made:
1. Convince yourself that your sin or mistake really wasn't that big of a deal.
2. Take another guilt trip! Dwell on it too much. Make an effort to forgive yourself.
Or, 3. On your knees, resolve to receive forgiveness.
His forgiveness.
This is the only way you and I can be right with God and forgive ourselves.
