And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us - Matthew 6:12
Forgiveness lies at the heart of our faith as followers of Christ. We are children of God
because of the forgiveness we receive from Him and we know that without it, we would
condemned for all eternity. I am not here to talk to you about forgiving others because if
you’ve been a Christian for a while, you might have heard a thousand and one messages
on the topic. I am here to encourage those who struggle to forgive themselves.
Often times we hold ourselves captive to past mistakes we made even though we have
repented and received forgiveness from God. When we do this, we reject the work of the
cross and its power. We prioritise what we think of ourselves over what God says. We
live in constant shame and guilt even though we don’t have to. We don’t accept the
freedom that comes with grace and sadly, being in such bondage stops us from reaching
our full potential. How can we pray for others or teach the gospel when we don’t feel
worthy enough to? How can we start that business, apply for that job or even pray if we
feel that God is constantly angry with us? You see, unforgiveness of ones self keeps us
exactly where the enemy wants us; away from God.
Recently, I received freedom from this when I was reminded of a very special bible verse;
2 Corinthians 5:17 ‘This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new
person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!’ It is freeing to know that God isn’t still
angry with me about something I did in the past. In fact, He rejoice over me and offers me
grace. Now I can choose to let go of my past, accept this wonderful gift and step into all
He has called me to be.
Claud Jaiyeola
Song Recommendation
Travis Greene - Crossover