Forgive me Lord

 

I wonder ... how many of us ask God for forgiveness when we pray? When we are alone in prayer, we most likely ask for favours, we request healing for others or oursleves, we may even thank God every now and then for what we have and for answered prayers ... but how often do we ask for forgiveness?

You know how it is ... we all sin. We lose our temper with someone else, we get impatient, we half-listen when someone is talking and possibly interfering with our TV viewing ... there are so many sins we commit almost naturally and don't even stop to think about them. Perhaps we don't even consider them as sins ... Just part of human life. Everyone loses their temper or not pay attention every so often to someone else. So what? Is it a sin worth bothering God about?

Let's consider this last thought.

Is it a sin worth bothering God about?

The fact remains that we did something wrong, and the other person may have forgiveness us for losing our temper or whatever. But it is still a sin in the eyes of God. It is a sin against His Commandment to love one another. So ... is it a sin worth confessing in prayer?

Oh ... and another thing. Do we ever seek forgiveness from God for worrying? 

Yes I know ... we all worry about this and that and about certain people and future events and so on. It's only natural. Everyone does it.

But is it a sin?

Does worry betray a certain lack of confidence, a certain lack of faith in God? When we worry, are we in fact saying that we don't believe God will answer our prayers, our fears and our confusions? Are we saying that He is perhaps not capable of doing so? Are we even doubting His own existence?

Because in essence that's what worry is. The fear of something beyond God's capability or willingness to help. Hence, worry is a sin against God.

Let's think about that a bit more ... ... ...

Forgiving you is easy

 

Do you remember the song "Forgiving you was easy" by Willie Nelson?

The lyrics go, "Forgiving you is easy ... But forgetting seems to take the longest time."

That's the problem with forgiveness. Many people feel they have forgiven the wrong done to them and then when the memories come back they get all angry and upset again and believe that they haven't forgiven.

Let us look at forgiveness more closely.

Forgiveness is an act, not a feeling. You decide, actively, that you will forgive someone who has hurt you. This means you will not seek revenge, retribution, compensation or feel resentment or ill-will towards the person who did you wrong. 

Of course, the memories will linger on. The slightest event will bring back the whole situation to your mind and will make you angry or upset once again. This is only natural. Don't worry. Use these moments of remembering again as an opportunity to actively forgive once more. Hand over the person who hurt you to God. Pray for them. You cannot possibly hate someone you pray for. Say to God, "I hand this person to your love and mercy. Forgive them for me!"

What if the person who has hurt you, and never sought your forgiveness, is now dead?

He is no longer your concern. Stop agonising about it. This person is now before God and has seen the situation in all its facets. God will now deal with the situation and that person's role in it. You should pray for that person when the memory of the wrong-doing comes to mind.

What if you need to seek forgiveness from someone who is now dead?

Obviously, it is now too late to seek forgiveness from him. But it is never too late to seek forgiveness from God. Confess your wrong-doing to God and honestly and earnestly ask for His forgiveness. Provided you are sincere and repent God will forgive you.

And once God has forgiven you this is the end of the matter. Stop picking at the situation over and again. Stop feeling guilty at your wrong-doing. God has forgiven you. By picking at the situation you are insulting God in that you are saying He has not forgiven you. That He was wrong that He forgave you. 

How do you think He feels about that? Doubting His love, His mercy and His forgiveness.

Accept His forgiveness graciously and move on with a joyful heart.

Forgiving