As simple as it may seem, forgiveness is one of those things we can easily convince ourselves we have done, even if it has not been done in full measure….we might vocalize forgiveness with words, might even flow differently with the person we are thought to have forgiven, but more often than not true forgiveness hasn’t taken place….More often than not within our hearts we carry around bitterness, anger, resentment, shame and guilt that even if it is in the smallest of nature it can create the biggest of barriers between us and our relationship with God….I hope we all might be encouraged as this word was truly given to me in a season of personal need to understand God’s forgiveness and the fact that I was lacking in forgiving myself, and therefore couldn’t fully receive His love and forgiveness….I hope we all take an introspective look at our lives….take note of our emotions, the things we have done and the emotions connected to those things, and my hope is that we might truly and deeply begin the process of forgiving ourselves….surrender guilt, shame, inadequacy, anger, bitterness, give it all to God and embrace the truth that there is a greater purpose for you in this life…know that God loves you beyond any and all sin and His grace and mercy are new each morning….I know it’s hard, for years I struggled with this and thought I had a healthy relationship by this point in regards to forgiving myself for fallen moments and receiving God’s forgiveness, but a recent experience showed me that I need to increase my awareness of how unimaginably great and vast Gods love and forgiveness is and that in order to receive Him in full measure I must forgive myself in broken moments both big and small so that He has the space He needs to do the work I cannot do…..the work of healing and growing me to completion for His glory and His purpose….I pray this word might help someone, anyone, to come to terms with their past, learn to forgive themselves, to love themselves and live this life made new with each day because again in doing so you can then fully take in Gods forgiveness and He can begin getting to work in your heart, mind and life….carry lessons from the past but not burdens, be molded and changed by what you have experienced but no longer oppressed and anchored. I love you all so very much and I pray you have a precious and blessed weekend and week.
source