Forgiveness is hard y'all. Super stinky hard.
Sometimes I think even harder than forgiving others-it's harder even to forgive ourselves. To forgive ourselves the way God repeatedly forgives us over and over and over again. To give ourselves grace and mercy just as we give grace and mercy to those we love.
We torment ourselves thinking about what we could have done, should have done and although we know God forgives us, we can't (or won't) forgive ourselves. I think for me it often boils down to the fact that it's the unrealistic expectations I have of myself and put on myself that is at the root of this inability to forgive myself. I want to believe that I am better than I am- but the reality is, I'm not. I am a sinful, imperfect mess that is saved only by the grace and mercy of Christ.
God calls us to forgive- no matter how hard it is.
Isaiah 44:22 says...
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.Psalm 103:12 says...
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
We all have sinned and fallen short of His glory. Thankfully He will pick us up when we call out to Him and repent. There is no wrong- seriously NONE- that can keep God from redeeming you. His word is full of reminders of people who made mistakes and were given a new start by God and He will do the same for you and for me. How awesome is that? My prayer today is that you are able to let go of any guilt you are clinging to and trust Him to work out whatever went wrong. I pray that you are reminded that God is the god of second chances (and 3rd and 4th and…) and His mercy endures FOREVER and EVER.
