This is likely a topic that you have heard before yet have a hard time implementing. It may be hard believing you are worthy of forgiveness or maybe you don’t know how to forgive others and so it gets pushed away. Sometimes, we may have experienced something that has hardened our hearts and we don’t want to forgive. Or maybe you just feel saddled with these memories and you don’t realize there is a way to experience relief. You aren’t the only one. I would bet each of us has had a grievance against us or have committed a grievance against another and it has left a lasting emotional imprint on us. Embarrassment, guilt, shame, fear, hate, anger are very real emotions that imprint on our psychological wellbeing. They begin a domino affect and bring about things like depression and anxiety. And once depression and anxiety set in, we are stuck in a pattern of thought that takes away our joy. Forgiveness is the key to releasing its grip on us.
This topic won’t be exhausted in one night. In fact, not in a lifetime. And to be honest, I’m not sure where to start, but I know the Bible talks about forgiveness and that is always the best reference. So let’s start there. In the Bible there are many places where God addresses forgiveness, and in my opinion God is where forgiveness begins.
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
Believing Jesus can forgive us of our sins is a pillar of christianity. It is written in the Apostle’s Creed. Jesus came to this earth as a man in order to be the ultimate sin sacrifice, forgiving us of our sin, and to be an intercessor on our behalf to God the Father. God would never accept us because of our sinful/grievance acts. Jesus forgives and wipes that all away, covering us with his banner before God. Jesus himself uses a miracle to prove his ability to forgive when he heals the paralytic in Luke chapter 5.
Beginning with verse 17. On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” – He said to the man who was paralyzed – “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. Luke 5:17-25
Acknowledging our broken and sinful nature followed by repentance, asking Jesus for forgiveness is the foundation of redemption. Spend some time pondering this, then reach out to Him in prayer and begin to explore all the areas in your life He is capable of making clean. Begin to move forward knowing those transgressions have been forgiven and you have been given a clean slate. You have been made new.
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:12.