Forgiveness

One of the hardest things that we as humans can do is to forgive. Forgive others. Forgive ourselves. It's so much easier sometimes to forgive those that have wronged us than it is for us to forgive ourselves.

I struggle with this. I can very easily forgive someone else, but me? Are you kidding? It'd be easier for me to get the Leaning Tower of Pisa straight.

But, we are not called to just forgive others. In order for us to forgive them, we must forgive ourselves.

And, in order for us to forgive ourselves, we must have God forgive us.

That's the easy part.

We can be assured that God forgives our sins when we ask in honesty. Otherwise, what's the point? If I ask God to forgive me for my *insert any sin you want here* and continue to do so, relying on the Mercy of God, what forgiveness have I really recieved?

But, when we truly and honestly ask for forgiveness and do our best to not do it again, God does so. God expects that we will fall. I know that I have had to ask for forgiveness in an area that I still maintain a struggle with and continually ask for His Help in me overcoming it. He is gracious and, though I fall, forgives me and helps me as needed.

So, am I forgiven? Without a doubt as far as God's concerned. He does what most of us can not. Not only does He forgive, but He FORGETS! Sure, we will have to be accountable for our trangressions when we are standing in front of Him at the Bema Seat, but all Christ needs to do (or so I believe) is remind us that it was covered by His Blood when He died for us.

So, what does all this mean?

Forgiveness is a tool sometimes used by Satan to trap us. "God didn't really forgive you. Come on. For that sin? That's one huge sin and there is no way you'll ever be truly forgiven. God's just being nice. He didn't really really forgive you."

We ALL fall prey to that one. I know I do. Maybe it's why we have such a hard time forgiving ourselves. Forgiveness - TRUE FORGIVENESS - is hard for humans. We can not concieve what absolute forgiveness is.

Psalms 103:12 tells us this: "For He has removed our sins as far from us as the East is from the West."

Come again? For as FAR as the East is from the West. Think about that. That is an infinate line.

So we can't even begin to fathom that.

Yet, it seems as though our sins, and forgiveness from, are on some sort of bungee cord that Satan pulls back.

He is a tricky one. He knows where to get us. With a lot of us, it's with true forgiveness. It is that with me.

But, here's the thing: As I work with God on learning how to forgive myself, I remind Satan that I have already been forgiven for it and if he wants to question my forgiveness, he can take it up the the Forgiver Himself.

And, I'm sure God will say something like "Lucifer, I have not a clue as to what sin you speak of. She is covered by the Blood of My Son and I have forgiven her."

At least I hope that's what He'd say.

Now...all I need to do is continue to seek Him and His Help on actually forgiving myself of my own failures.

author's note: Psalms 103 is a great chapter to read. There are some verses that can be used to counterbalance Satan's attacks. Verses 8 - 11 say this:

8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love 9 He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. 10 He does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. 11 for His Unfailing Love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth."