Day 7 - Hard To Forgive Other?

Do you find it hard to forgive others?

It could be an indication that you have a hard time forgiving yourself.

The inability to forgive ourselves often creates a barrier that makes forgiving others nearly impossible.

Unforgiveness toward ourselves weighs heavily on our emotions and minds. When we are living in guilt or shame, it clouds our judgment and distorts our ability to view others through the grace of God. We judge them harshly because we are judging ourselves harshly.

Have you ever heard yourself saying, “Well, I wouldn’t do that!” (Or maybe you thought that and didn’t say it.) That is being judgmental and critical.

Jesus warns about this in Matthew 7:3-5 when He speaks of removing the plank from our own eye before addressing the speck in someone else’s.

Matthew 7:3-5 NKJV "And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?  "Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank [is] in your own eye?  "Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."

But what if the plank we need to remove from our eye is refusing to accept God’s forgiveness for our own mistakes? Refusing to forgive ourselves suggests that we believe our standard of forgiveness is higher than God’s. It’s as if we’re saying, “God’s grace might cover everyone else, but my sins are too great.”

One of the greatest lies the enemy whispers to us is that our sins disqualify us from God’s love, mercy and forgiveness. But the word of God reminds us that “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The sins of yesterday do not define you when you are in Christ. He has forgiven you — fully and completely.

When we condemn ourselves, we diminish the power of the blood of Jesus.

If God has forgiven you, who are you to keep condemning yourself?

It’s not humble to carry around guilt that Jesus already paid for; it’s really a lack of faith in His finished work on the cross.

Forgiveness isn’t just for some other person; it’s for you too.

When you let go of self-condemnation and take hold of God’s grace, you can live fully in His peace. And from that place of freedom, you can truly forgive others as Jesus forgives you.

So today, let go of the guilt. Receive God’s grace. Quit condemning yourself. Forgive yourself — because Jesus already paid for it.