The Struggle To Forgive Yourself
How often have you spoken cruel words in anger or broken a promise? Do you struggle with forgiving yourself for things you have said or done?
We often heap guilt and condemnation on ourselves and allow our mistakes to haunt us. If you are struggling with forgiving yourself, this story will help you.
The Bible gives an account in the book of Mark about a paralyzed man who was let down through the roof by his four friends because it was the only way they could help their friend see Jesus.
This man’s friends knew that Jesus would heal him if they could get him close to Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven” Mark 2:5.
Imagine if you were there. Would you find it odd that Jesus said that to a crippled man rather than heal him? What did forgiveness have to do with his healing?
Struggle To Forgive Yourself
But Jesus knew this is what this man needed to hear for his healing to be complete. Jesus said to him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home.” The man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked through the stunned crowd. (Mark 2:11-12)
Jesus knew that this man must understand that he was forgiven and not condemned. The words Jesus spoke broke this man loose from his paralysis.
If you are paralyzed by guilt and condemnation from something in your past know that God wants you to break free from that. He understands your pain and forgave you when He died for you. Your past does not need to poison your future.
He wants what is best for you – an abundant life free from disease. His favor is on you when you open your heart to accepting Him.
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” 1 Corinthians 2:9.
No matter what happens in your life, you have the promise spoken in Isaiah. “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from you. Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, who has mercy on you” Isaiah 54:10.
Nothing Can Separate You...
Above all else, remember that as a child of God, no matter what happens in your life, your heavenly Father loves you dearly and nothing you do can ever change that.
You cannot make Him love you more and nothing you do can make Him love you less. No matter how often you fail or mess up, His love is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He completely accepts you.
Receive His love for you and ground yourself in His Word that no challenge or adversity will be able to shake you or knock you down. He offers you hope, security, and refuge from any problem.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nothing to come, nor height no depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” Romans 8:35, 37-39.
There is no disclaimer here. God states clearly that He loves you no matter what. Nothing can separate you from that – nothing.
There Is Nothing Wrong With God
Have you heard this statement? “There is nothing wrong with God and nothing wrong with His Word. If you are not receiving from God, then there must be something wrong with you.”
Those who endorse that way of thinking are qualifying those who can be and those who cannot be healed.
Just as we cannot earn our salvation, we cannot earn our healing. The Bible is clear that God already qualified us through the blood of His Son. Through Christ’s death and resurrection, we are partakers of all His blessings. He has set us free from the curse of the law. The devil no longer has any hold over you. He cannot rob us of our health or blessings.
Each of us sin, make mistakes and mess up. We may think that we do not deserve to be healed or that our sins have prevented blessing from God. And this is the true message of grace: we do not deserve it.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” James 1:17.
God is good. Period. He is not good sometimes. He is always good. This is His love toward us – no variation – no turning. He is faithful all the time. He is merciful all the time. He is forgiving all the time.
No matter what is happening in our lives – it does not change God. The key to our happiness is not in changing our circumstances but in trusting God that He knows, He understands, and He is working on our behalf. It removes the stress and worry and fills us with joy and expectation.