"I Just Can't Forgive Myself"
Today we're fasting from the thought that says, "I just can't forgive myself."
Who hasn't thought that at one time or another? The devil would love to keep us in self-condemnation for the things we have done or failed to do. He knows it paralyzes us and prevents us from making the kind of impact that God intended for us.
I read of a young teenager who accidently struck his 5 year-old sister with a car, tragically killing her in their driveway. And as tragic as it is for a child to die in that way at such a young age, an even greater tragedy is the difficulty this young man will have forgiving himself. Though few of us have faced something as dramatic as this, we all need to overcome the thoughts that try to accuse us for what we have done.
LET'S CHANGE IT TODAY
- Realize we only deserve forgiveness because of the Blood of Jesus. Not because what we did wrong "never happened", or it wasn't that bad. Give up rationalizations and excuses.
- It was that bad, but God is even MORE good! James 2:13 says mercy triumphs over judgement. His Mercy toward you TRUMPS your judgement over yourself. Believe that God is bigger than what you did. In Luke 22:34, Peter denied the Lord 3 times and Jesus forgave him. Later, Peter preached the first sermon after Jesus rose from the dead and 3000 people were saved in a day! Peter was able to forgive himself when he knew Jesus had accepted him. In the same way, realize that you have been accepted by God, no matter what you have done --- simply by believing in the work of the Cross of Jesus Christ.
- Give up your right to hold against yourself ANYTHING that God Himself does not hold against you. If God can forgive you, you can forgive yourself! His standard is absolute perfection and he forgives you. Psalm 103:12 says, "As far as east is from west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
- Stop rehearsing what you did. It's done. it's over. Now accept the second chance that God offers. Philippians 3:10 says, "forgetting what lies behind, and reaching forward..." Reaching forward start thinking forward.
- Believe that guilt doesn't come from God. He doesn't impose guilt on you to try to get you to stop doing something. Romans 2:4 says it is His lovingkindness that draws us to repentance. Since this guilt and shame doesn't come from God, there can be only one other source --- the devil. James 4:7 says, "Submit to God --- resist the devil --- and he will flee from you."
- Give up the SELF-PUNISHMENT. Some people have said to themselves: "I'll make myself feel bad to pay for what has been done." Why should we pay the price that has ALREADY been paid for what we've done wrong? Stop beating yourself up --- no one beats us up better than ourselves. The fact is, whatever we have done that we can't seem to forgive ourselves for, is already forgiven. By trying to "pay for what we have done," we are insulting the very Blood of Jesus that HAS PAID the price in full. Accept His free gift (Ephesians 1:7).
THINK IT AND SAY IT
FEATURING: I receive mercy today because of the Blood of Jesus.
Though I didn't deserve it, God proclaims over me that
I am "not guilty". Where I have failed, God's Mercy
triumphs over judgement.
I give up my right today to hold ANYTHING against
myself. I deserve to be punished but Jesus took THAT
punishment for me. I forget what lies behind and press
on, moving forward in my life with God, even though I
feel like I have blown it beyond repair.
I reject this guilt and self-condemnation that the devil is
trying to put on me. God is the God of second chances. I
will no longer try to make myself feel bad to pay for what
has been done. The price for what I did or failed to do has
been paid in full by God. In Jesus' Name.
*** reprinted from Gregory Dickow's "Start Thinking Forward"
