Happy almost July sweet friends!
The scripture plan topic this month is over something I think everyone struggles with,
FORGIVENESS.
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. All of us- every single one.
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 and amazing is that?
Let's spend the next month focusing on what God's word says about forgiveness. My prayer is that during the month we are able to let go of any guilt we are clinging to and trust God to work out whatever went wrong and to thank Him for His mercy that endures for ever and ever and ever.
FYI: I made the plan 31 days and plan to do that with
all topical plans in the future so that they can be done any month-
not just the month I write them for.
TO PRINT: You can find a copy of the plan in the folder HERE.