Can you imagine if God is making a list of every sin that we have done, and use it to condemn us? No one would be able to stand before Him because we would be all judged. No matter how much good we do, it is not enough to pay all of the sins that we have done, as long as God remembers all our past sins. This is the reason God chooses to forgive our sins and not remember them anymore. He wants to give us a brand new start every time He forgives us. God does not want us to live in guilt and shame but in the freedom of His grace.
As the Lord forgives our sins and does not remember them, God wants us to do the same thing to those who offend us. We tend to make a list of everything that the person has done against us and use it in future arguments, even though we told the person that we have forgiven him/her. I had a friend who was struggling with drugs for a long time because his wife kept on reminding him of his past mistakes that he had done. Every time they had arguments, the wife would use all his past mistakes to condemn him; as a result, he would feel ashamed of himself and take drugs to escape from his past mistakes. He could never get out of the drugs until his wife wholly forgiven him and not use his past mistakes to condemn him. Once they started to forgive each other and not making a list of past mistakes, their marriage was restored and improved dramatically.
When we truly forgive someone, we choose not to use past sins to condemn the person. We cannot say to a person that we have forgiven him/her if we are still mentioning his/her past mistakes, like "Two years ago, you have done this, this, and this." We may say that we have forgiven the person, but in our hearts, we have not. God wants us to forgive everyone who has hurt or offended us because God has forgiven all of our sins. It is time for us to let go of our grudges against the person who hurt us and forgive that person in our hearts that we may live in the freedom of His grace.
Ask yourself these questions: Why did God forgive our sins? Why is it important to forgive those who hurt us? Why is it that making a list of past mistakes is not true forgiveness?
Write down all the worries that you are facing today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, thank you for forgiving all of my sins. Please help me to forgive (mention the name(s) that you need to forgive) and help me not to use (his/her/their) past mistakes. I know that this is difficult for me to do, but I pray that you would give me the strength to forgive and live in the freedom of your grace. Please help me now with (mention your prayer requests). In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
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