Forgiving Ourselves

Forgiving Ourselves

By Steve Crowley

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” 1 John 2:15-16 (ESV)

“The desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” has been the down fall of mankind since creation.

Having grown up in the fifties and sixties, television and movies had morality censors that determined what was appropriate and what was not. Today it seems there are no boundaries to what can appear on our televisions. But there is one certainty, advertisers and producers of news and shows have figured out the key to viewership “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” sells.

“Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”” Matthew 26:41 (ESV)

There’s not a person alive that hasn’t been tempted by sin. In fact the Bible even states that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) So in this age of in your face temptation at every turn what are we to do?

On the Road to Damascus when Jesus spoke to Saul (renamed Paul) He said something that really resonates with me.

“I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’” Acts 26:17-18 (NLT)

Then when we read Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi we see the transforming power of Jesus Christ.

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)

The question so many of us who look to Jesus is how do we forgets our past. How do we find strength in the upward call of Christ when we know how many skeletons we’ve hidden in our closet and live with the guilt, regret and remorse we have?

I don’t know about you but it seems I’m hampered by my mistakes and there are times when I feel so unworthy of the grace that God has shown us by His sending Jesus to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins so we can be made new and know our sins have been forgiven.

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,” Ephesians 1:7 (ESV)

The forgiveness of our sins, past, present and future, gives us the assurance of God’s love through the grace of Jesus Christ!

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 (ESV)

Gracious and merciful Father, hallowed be Your Holy Name. Lord, we are incredibly humbled by Your marvelous grace You have extended to us calling us out of darkness into Your forgiving light. Father, we have no words to express our gratitude for Your saving grace so we humbly look to You to lead us as You conform us into being the person You will us to be.

Father, we seek You asking You to heal our hearts as we look and submit to You. Father, it is in the name of Your precious Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior and the power of His love that we pray.

Amen