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CHANGE YOUR MIND
One huge key to forgiving yourself is in your head: your thoughts. If you keep rehearsing your mistakes and failures, and you keep meditating on what you “deserve” because of it, you’re going to be defeated.
The key to freedom and receiving true forgiveness is in changing — or renewing — your mind to what God says about you. Because, as we’ve seen, God isn’t keeping track of your sin or making you pay for them. Jesus already paid.
Your righteousness and acceptance as a Christian isn’t based on your actions; it’s based on your covenant through Christ. Ephesians 1:6 says you are “accepted in the beloved” not because of what you’ve done (by earning or deserving), but because of what Jesus did (1 Pet. 2:24). It’s already done.
The key to walking in this forgiveness is, simply put, to think about it. Change your thoughts from what the devil has been telling you (condemnation and shame, rehearsing your failure and what you deserve as a result) to what God is telling you (you’re righteous, beloved, and forgiven in Christ). Second Corinthians 10:5 admonishes us to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. Think about yourself the way Jesus does.
You change your thoughts by meditating (thinking on) the Word of God. Forgive yourself, and replace thoughts of condemnation and shame with what God says about you.
Was this plan helpful to you? It was adapted from my book “I Forgive You, But…..” You can read the first part here.
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.
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