Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
—Psalm 32:
Some pastors and teachers teach this psalm as 3-2-1 so their listeners will remember it. Indeed, it’s one of the verses most worth remembering in Psalms. Forgiveness is a basic tenet of Christianity and the most valuable thing Jesus offers us. His forgiveness encompasses every sin from our past, present and future. It frees us as no human forgiveness can.
While this concept is familiar, most of us struggle to forgive ourselves. After all, we’re the ones who have to wake up and look at ourselves every day. We know ourselves well, including our flaws, sins and checkered pasts. Even the most grounded Christian with the best background can struggle with self- loathing and a lack of forgiveness.
Pastors often quote the verse where Jesus tells us He won’t forgive us if we don’t forgive others. They usually use the verse as a springboard to talk about avoiding grudges. They sometimes forget, though, that we are all part of “others.” If we can’t forgive ourselves, we miss the depth of Jesus’ forgiveness. We sacrifice the opportunity to walk in freedom and extend love to others because we don’t see past our own mistakes and problems.
As you read this, you might be struggling to forgive yourself for something. It might be a “small” but persistent sin, such as being short-tempered and critical toward your spouse or kids. You might have darker sins in your past such as addiction, sexual sin or a prison term. Any of these can cause self-loathing, but you can break the cycle. Today, determine to forgive yourself. Forgive yourself even if you don’t feel it. In time and with God’s help, your emotions will catch up.
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