Have I been forgiven?
I have asked this question multiple times, practically every day. I wondered if my sins had truly been forgiven. I felt unworthy of His forgiveness because I asked for mercy on the same things repeatedly. Are you in the same boat? Read along.
As a young Christian, I loved the Lord dearly and I tried not to offend Him or do the things He hates, but I have failed at this. I found myself asking for forgiveness too often for the same sin. I would get into the Scriptures and find and read all I could on God’s forgiveness. One minute I felt confident that He had forgiven me, and the next minute, I was back begging for forgiveness again. I lived in fear many days expecting a day that God would say to me, “Tola, I have had enough of your mess, and you are no longer fit to be My child.” I thought I could use up all the chances I have with Him.
I prayed repeating words and punished myself in the attempt to avoid God’s displeasure with me. To make matters worse, the devil recalled to my memory Scriptures of God punishing sinners and of the price they paid. I would cry and walk about in fear and despair.
I struggled endlessly with guilt and shame, so I called my mentor and explained all my plights. I reminded him that he need not doubt whether I loved the Lord. I told him I just couldn’t get things done right. It seemed that my flesh was insurmountable. Read what my mentor told me. He said, “No amount of sin one can commit will outweigh God’s love and mercies.” He continued, “God couldn’t love you more than He already did when He gave His Son for you while you were still in sin.” He said to me, “Would you be surprised if I told you that God knew you would break His laws before you did?” I listened in shock. “Really?” I responded.
He went further to show me in the Scriptures that when God forgives, He forgets. Isaiah 43:25 reads, “I–yes, I alone–will blot out your sins for My own sake and will never think of them again.” Hope filed my heart. My mentor also shared Psalm 103:12 which says, “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”
“That’s quite some distance,” I muttered to myself. With new hope, I said, “Thank you!”
Have you wondered at times if God has really forgiven you? Read this excerpt from the book God’s Promises by Rebecca Helen:
“When you are dissatisfied with your behavior, you tend to feel unworthy of My love. You may consciously punish yourself by withdrawing from Me and attributing the distance between us to My displeasure. Instead of returning to Me and receiving My love, you attempt to earn approval by trying harder. All the while, I am aching to hold you in My everlasting arms, to enfold you in My love. When you are feeling unworthy or unloved, come to Me. Then ask for receptivity to My unfailing love” (I John 4:15-18, Deuteronomy 33:27, Psalm 13:5).
So yes, He has forgiven you. God is not man, who forgives partially or with a condition. When God forgives, He does it not because you are good or special, He does this because of Jesus, who sacrificed His life to give us life and redeem us from sin. He forgives because He loves you and me. No matter how good you think you are, it will not save you from God’s punishments; it is the blood of Jesus that makes the difference. So, cling to the blood and walk boldly to the throne of grace. Remember what He said in His Word in Isaiah 64:6: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags.”
Friend, He loves you dearly! He cannot love you less. You are precious to Him. Jesus sits at His right hand pleading on your behalf daily. You don’t have to pay the price all over again; Christ paid it once and for all. Hebrews 10:10 assures us, “For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.” Jesus cancelled the first covenant by His death and resurrection and put the second covenant into effect. The devil knows this truth but prefers to keep you in fear so that you can lose your confidence in Christ. Build your confidence on Christ’s righteousness – not on your own.
A WORD OF CAUTION
Now, the Bible says, “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2). God’s mercies are never a call to sin, but they are available whenever you need them. They are new every morning and never run out. Read our lesson on dealing with the flesh (Lesson 13).
Keep on loving the Lord and whenever you err, remember that He is waiting for you to come for cleansing and ask Him for grace to stay away from the things that grieve Him.
If you feel a need to restore yourself back to God, say this prayer and rise up henceforth with boldness like the one Christ died and rose for and continue your day with boldness!
“Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit[a] from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels,
and they will return to you.”
Psalm 51:10-13
God bless you; we’d love to hear from you!
