Forgive YourselfSample
HOW FAR IS EAST FROM WEST?
Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”
God isn’t keeping track of your mistakes and transgressions, so you shouldn’t either. Think about that verse for a minute. On earth, we have a measurement of how far the north is from the south, depending on how you measure it. For example, straight through the earth from pole to pole it’s 7,899 miles; if you go halfway around the planet from pole to pole it’s 12,429 miles. But the point is, there is a north point and a south point to measure from, so there is a way of telling how far the north is from the south.
But where is east? And where is west? There are no points to measure from, so there’s no way of knowing how far the east is from the west! And that’s exactly God’s point. He’s not measuring. He has made sure there’s no way to keep track of your transgressions.
Isaiah 1:18 says, “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” If you’ve been unable to forgive yourself, it’s time for you to start seeing yourself as God does — white as snow. Without sin. Blameless and pure in God’s sight.
Hebrews 10:16–17 says, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them . . . their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
This is the covenant you and I are walking in today if we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. God wrote His law right on our hearts and in our minds, not on tablets. He’s that close to us. He made us into new creatures. And He simply will not remember or keep track of our sins and trespasses.
Isn’t that good news? It’s time we believe that, and live like it’s true. If God says He will NOT remember your sin and lawless deeds, He means it. Instead of letting guilt and shame dominate your thoughts, let His law and His love dominate your mind.
About this Plan
You (just like everyone else) have seen your failures and sins up close – and that can make it hard to forgive yourself. Maybe you knew better, but you goofed up anyway. Maybe you believe there’s some sort of lifelong penance you must pay. But there’s not. Let these 6 lessons show how you’ve already been forgiven in Christ, and give you the faith to forgive yourself and move forward.
More
We would like to thank Karen Jensen Salisbury for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: http://karenjensen.org