Walking the Lineናሙና

God is love and God is forgiving. He’ll forgive you seventy times seven and seventy times that. He is long-suffering, patient, compassionate, and He understands even before you try to explain your weaknesses and shortcomings to Him. —Johnny Cash

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. —Psalm 86:5 NKJV

Few things take us out of our comfort zones, like the need to apologize. First, there’s the realization that we’ve done something serious enough to warrant an apology. That stomach-churning recognition that our wrong was too big to let slide or to laugh off. That awareness that we crossed a line we shouldn’t even have approached.

Second, there’s the feeling of regret that invades our consciences, that fervent wish to take back our words or actions. With those pangs of regret comes the realization that the only way forward—the only way to clear our consciences—is to acknowledge what we’ve done and ask for forgiveness.

Third, there’s that giant swallow of pride that goes before an apology. A genuine apology requires us to take complete ownership of our wrong actions. It doesn’t allow us to save face by making excuses, shifting blame, or gaslighting others. We have to acknowledge our failure.

Fourth, there’s the vulnerability of placing ourselves at someone else’s mercy. There’s no way of knowing how someone will respond to our apology. We do not guarantee that someone will forgive us when we ask for it.

As Johnny Cash points out, the one exception to this rule involves God Himself. Every day brings opportunities, big and small, to ignore God and pursue our own desires. To do things that require us to seek His forgiveness.

Yet our heavenly Father has already removed the drama and suspense from the process. His answer to us is never in doubt. So the extraordinary situation we face is that the One we have wronged is also the One who, more than anyone else, wants to see us succeed. God is our biggest Cheerleader. He’s the One standing in our corner telling us, “You can do this,” after everyone else has left. He’s the One who urges us not to allow ourselves to be defined by our failures.

Though He is hurt by our wrongdoing, His love surpasses that hurt. So when we come to Him with sincere regrets about what we’ve done and a sincere desire to turn away from it, He stands ready to forgive. To wipe our slates clean.

Jesus called His disciples to forgive others not “up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22 NKJV). God, however, forgives us completely the first time we ask.

He understands the temptations we face. He understands our weaknesses and shortcomings. His patience is never exhausted. He sees the incremental growth and maturity taking place within us. He sees us slowly learning from our past mistakes. And He works to foster our growth. So every time we approach Him, sincere in our desire for His forgiveness, He will forgive.

Father, thank You for always being my biggest Cheerleader. You understand me better than anyone else does. No matter how often I stumble, You pick me up, dust me off, and set me in the right direction again. Give me the wisdom and humility to turn to You for forgiveness every time I stumble so I can always stay close to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.