Can god forgive even me?

Have you ever tried to tell someone about the forgiveness of Jesus only to hear “but you don’t know what I’ve done.”  It seems as if they are clinging to their guilt as if it were some sort of security blanket. 

“If God has forgiven me, why do I still feel guilty”? This is a question I have heard so many times, one I have asked myself on more than one occasion.

Read Hebrews 10:15-23

Points to Ponder

What are some things that the enemy uses against us, to keep us from fellowship with our Lord?

• Feelings. Shame, fear, denial. These feelings tend to overcome us on the heels of a sinful act. They keep us from God. Until we turn to God and repent, we can not know the peace of forgiveness.

• Un-confessed sin. Ask yourself, am I holding on to some bitterness, anger, or other wrong thoughts? Is there some past sin that I have closed the door on because I didn’t want to face it? God wants us to be free from all our sins. If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive us, but note, the first step to His forgiveness is our confession.

 • Bitterness from past hurts.  Is there an issue you have failed to deal with because it was just too painful?  Get rid of it!  The Lord says if we want to be forgiven, we must first forgive.  Holding on to such things only gives ammunition to the enemy and keeps us from the peace that we are so desperately seeking.  

Something to Think About

It should come as no surprise that our old enemy Satan is working overtime to keep us mired down in our sin. The longer he can keep us from God’s presence, the deeper he can take us into a sense of despair. He convinces us that we are unworthy and the more unworthy we feel, the farther we move away from our Father. We get out of relationship with God and feelings of guilt grow stronger. It is a viscous cycle.

What can you do to break the cycle?

© 2012 Sandra Bivens Smith