This is a true struggle for so many Christians. Let me first tell you that you are not alone in this. Satan knows that as a Christian, your soul is off-limits to him. You’ve already been bought by the blood of Christ, so he can’t touch your eternal destiny. However, if he can make you ineffective as a witness for Christ, then he will.
There is a big distinction between conviction and guilt. Conviction is from the Holy Spirit. Guilt is from Satan. Conviction urges you towards righteousness and worship. Guilt presses you into the ground in defeat. Conviction focuses your heart on God. Guilt focuses your heart on yourself.
Read Psalm 51, and you will see the heart of a man under conviction. King David is not wallowing in guilt (self-focused), but rather is praying for forgiveness and a new start, and is praising God for who He is (God-focused).
Each time you find it hard to forgive yourself, open Psalm 51 and pray it to God. Any accusing thoughts you may have that prick your heart during the day, I encourage you to take those thoughts captive and say, “No, I will not live under condemnation!” (Romans 8:1).
Recommended reading: The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning.
Comments (2)
It's so hard to forgive ourselves because we keep remembering everything thing we did, said, thought, and didn't do but wished that we did. We just need to remember that God will forgive us then forget! He loves us with all that he is. He proved that when he let His ONLY son, who was very precious to him, die a gruesome, brutal death so that we can be with Him forever! If that's not love, I don't know WHAT is!!
Posted by Katie | December 3, 2007 12:58 PM
You are right. It is easy to say God loves us and forgives us but not forgive ourselves. That Bible passage was a really good one!
Posted by Jennifer | January 2, 2008 5:36 PM