Forgiving Yourself
Posted by Renee on February 26, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” “But the God of all grace, who hath called us into His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (I Peter 5:7, 10)
Do you find it hard to forgive yourself for the mistakes you’ve made in your life? Are you constantly beating yourself over them and always wondering “what if?” Does dwelling on these mistakes hinder you from moving forward in your life? Do you find it easy to forgive others and to seek God’s forgiveness? Do you always wish you could go back in time and do things differently?
If your answer is yes to any of these questions, rest assured, you’re not alone. I personally struggle with this on a daily basis. Sometimes it’s just so hard to let go of the guilt that I carry. Everyone who knows me, and knows my situation, know that I constantly beat myself up over certain things that have happened over the course of my life. I’m always being told “let it go” and “get past it.” I know what they say is true, but sometimes, it’s easier said than done. Unless someone has walked a mile in our shoes, it’s hard for them to understand why we carry those burdens.
I don’t know why we beat ourselves up this way. God never intended for it to be this way. We seek His forgiveness, but yet we can’t seem to let it go. When He forgives us, He removes our sin from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12). We need to do the same thing. What’s done is done, and no matter how much we want to, we can’t change the past. If you are given an opportunity to right some of your wrongs, take it! But if the opportunity doesn’t come, then forgive yourself, ask God to forgive you (if you haven’t already) and move forward with your life.
Whatever you do, don’t let your past hold you back from living a better life. Don’t wallow in self-pity. Don’t stay stuck in yesterday or yesteryear. Admit your mistakes, learn from them, and use them as stepping stones to a new life in Christ Jesus.
