And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross (Col. 2:13–14).
When guilt says you are not loved by God because of your sin, remind yourself that you were saved not by merit, but by grace (Eph. 2:8–9).
When your heart tries to convince you that you need to pay some kind of penalty for your sins, remind yourself that Christ has paid the price in full (Rev. 5:9–10).
When your mind says that you are not worthy of God’s forgiveness, remind yourself that you were never worthy, but God extended you grace (Eph. 1:7–10).
Your heart is deceitful (Jer. 17:9), but you don’t need to listen to its deceit. Let God’s truth fill your mind (Phil. 4:8). This may mean memorizing verses that remind you of the gospel and the forgiveness you have in Christ. Or maybe you will need to keep a handwritten verse in your pocket. Maybe you will need to cover your home in notes with Bible verses. Whatever it may be, preach the gospel to your weary heart.
Friend, I don’t want to condemn you or shame you for wanting to forgive yourself. I sought this once, too. What I do want is to free you from the hopeless chase of self-forgiveness. Self-forgiveness provides no hope, no healing and no help. But trusting alone in Christ’s forgiveness, in His atonement, will always bring true freedom and joy.
This article originally appeared here.
