God Is Quick & Ready to Forgive
I have talked before about God’s call for us to forgive others, but today, I want to talk about guilt, condemnation, shame, etc. before God & connect HIS response to US to how God calls us to forgive others.
Today, in watching church online, the pastor made a valid comment about the fact that when we turn to God in our shame & guilt, He is quick & ready to forgive us.
The pastor ALSO made the comment that as we mess up again & again (as we all do, if we’re honest with ourselves), God is STILL quick & ready to forgive us when we come to Him, recognize where we distrusted & therefore disobeyed Him, & then ask Him for forgiveness.… He wants us to come to Him in them again & again!
Feeling Condemnation
I don’t remember when it was that this happened, but at least a few months ago, I was thinking about feeling condemnation (which, by the way, is from Satan trying to guilt us away from turning to God for forgiveness) & how terrible it feels to make the very same mistake I have already made so many times in trusting MYSELF in a particular area versus trusting God’s way in it.
I felt so disgusted with myself, rightly so, but as I am sometimes slow to come to God in that ickiness, I finally, reluctantly began to pray & ask God to show me mercy & forgive me. I told Him I knew I messed up AGAIN & that I could hear Satan taunting me that “how many times do I have to ask God to forgive me & shouldn’t I just stop bothering to ask God at all?”
It ached my heart, but it seemed like a valid point to me.
One Too Many Times?
Asking God to forgive the umpteenth time I messed up in a particular way felt like mocking God. I was afraid to ask Him to forgive me. I was afraid I ran out of His forgiveness in that area.
And then the verse I learned SO long ago washed itself over my mind as I prayed… “70 times 7.”
That’s how many times Jesus Himself encouraged Peter as the appropriate amount of times to forgive someone… not in a necessarily literal 490 times… but that when Peter felt gracious in asking Jesus whether SEVEN times was a good amount to forgive… Jesus responded with, no… “but, seventy TIMES seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)
His point…? Go above & beyond in how you forgive someone. Forgive even when they least deserve it.
That’s How God Forgives US
And in that moment of prayer, God reminded me of that instruction from Jesus’ mouth, “70 x 7.”
That’s how much He tells us to forgive others because that’s how much He is ready to forgive US.
God’s mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Oops, I Did It Again
He doesn’t say, “Michelle, OPE, you have messed up your last time & I’m DONE!”
Instead, when I come to Him ugly crying, ashamed that I’ve OOPS & done it again, feeling crummy, disgusting & just so sick of myself… God whispers… “70×7, Michelle. 70×7.”
He doesn’t want me to turn away from Him & try to carry that sin & those wrongs on my own shoulders, forever beating myself up for them, never moving forward.
He wants me to come to Him again & AGAIN for RESTORATION, TRUSTING He WILL forgive me again & AGAIN.
I (We) Can Trust Him
TRUSTING that His grace REALLY IS sufficient for my weakness.
Trusting His great, endless love for me.
Trusting Jesus’ work for me (& us) on the cross as ENOUGH.
Trusting God to forgive me 70×7 & beyond.
He wants us to come to Him no matter how many times we have to come to Him.
Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs… & God IS Love
He doesn’t keep record of wrong because God tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:5 that LOVE “keeps no record of wrongs,” & then, in 1 John 4:8, we are told that “God IS love.” (Emphasis mine.)
God’s Forgiveness… 70 x 7.
Focus on What GOD Says
So, stop letting Satan keep you trapped in that disgusted, worthless, I-have-messed-up-one-too-many-times state of condemnation…. Come to God AGAIN.
Because God is always quick & ready to forgive… 70 x 7.
John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son [Jesus] into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”
John 10:10, “The thief’s [Satan’s] purpose is to steal & kill & destroy. My [Jesus’] purpose is to give life & to give it more abundantly.”
TURN TO HIM. AGAIN. & again & again & again & again & again… to infinity… & beyond.
Strive for God’s Honor & Glory… But Turn to Him When You Make Mistakes
Should we always strive to live a life that honors Him, revealing our trust in Him by doing what He says to do & asking for His help when we DON’T trust enough, so He can help us? YES.
Will we mess it up & get it wrong? YES.
Will we mess it up & get it wrong AGAIN, in sometimes the exact same way? YES.
BUT God calls us to GO TO HIM every time. Every single time.
Yes, even then. And then… & for that too.
God’s Forgiveness… 70 x 7
Whether you run or whether you slump in defeat… Call out to Him & ask for His mercy.
He will be quick & ready to give it.
Shine hope by trusting God to forgive you, even at your worst & even when that worst is a repeat offense. Shine hope by trusting Him to be quick & ready to forgive you every single time.
70 x 7.
Coming Next Week
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A Note from Michelle:
This blog/website has been running for TWO years now! THANK YOU for your continued support & encouragement. <3
If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope Is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3
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Fashion as a Force for GOOD:
Each week, I feature an item that is changing lives for women around the world. These hand-crafted pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Turning Leaf Set
This silver finish hammered metal necklace with matching earrings was inspired by the beautiful shapes of leaves.
Artisan Information:
The women we partner with in India do so much more than just create beautiful products. With every purchase, another woman is empowered out of poverty to be self-reliant! Women have the opportunity to earn an income, attend financial management classes, & receive education & healthcare. These women are now able to give their family a promising future because of your purchase!
Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!
