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Last week I did something that bothered me more than a little. After my “failing” I sat in my vehicle, trying to make sense of “it” and figure out if there was any undoing that could be done. There wasn’t. I fought the urge to shut down and never again put myself out there. I felt like saying, “Take me out, coach.”

That brings us to the topic of our last article on forgiveness. If you haven’t guessed yet, today’s topic covers forgiving ourselves. I’ve had to forgive a number of people throughout my life. Some were harder to forgive than others. But the most difficult person for me to forgive during the course of my ever-lengthening life was and is me. I have a hard time letting myself off the hook. Do you ever struggle with this?

I’m reminded of Peter - love that disciple for numerous reasons. In Luke 22:31-34 Jesus told Peter that he would deny Him three times. Peter basically replied, “I don’t think so.” But as we continue reading in that chapter, Peter did exactly what Jesus said he would do. We find Peter’s response to his actions in Luke 22:62 (NKJV). It says, “So Peter went out and wept bitterly.” Safe to say, Peter felt pretty terrible about what transpired.

Fast forward to after Jesus’ death and resurrection. John chapter 21 tells us that Peter and some other disciples went out fishing - Peter was a fisherman before meeting Jesus. While in the boat they begin conversing with a man on the shore. As time elapsed and with a sudden major change in the fishing situation, they realized that it must be Jesus.

Peter jumped out of the boat and swam to shore to be with Him. After eating the breakfast Jesus prepared, Peter and Jesus had a conversation in which Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Each time Peter answered yes. And each time after his answer, Jesus would tell him to feed His sheep. I’ve heard that this was Jesus reinstating Peter after Peter’s denial of Him.

I don’t doubt that’s true, but I think this encounter served another purpose as well. Jesus knew Peter loved Him - Jesus didn’t need to hear it for His benefit. This interaction was for Peter. Peter needed to hear himself say that he loved Jesus, just as he heard himself deny Him. Jesus wanted him to know that, yes, you love Me.

Jesus also wanted to encourage Peter to move forward into God’s plans for his life. Because, at this point, Jesus found Peter having gone BACK to what he was doing before. After we mess up, it’s easy to want to return to what’s comfortable for us and what we know. Thus, Jesus pulled Peter aside to deal with and heal that situation that was keeping him from advancing in God’s purpose for him.

Like Peter, we may have made the same mistake numerous times, bringing us great grief. We, too, may want to go back to our comfort zone or check out. But may we also be like Peter in this: May we run to Jesus without hesitation. May we allow Him to remind us that we’re in relationship with Him. May we receive instruction from our Lord and move forward with Him, emboldened by His Presence.

If you’re still struggling with forgiving yourself, the following made it easier for me. (If only I would remember it!) Jesus' sacrifice paid for our sin. Completely. In the times we feel we have to suffer for our sin or can’t forgive ourselves, we’re really saying that Jesus’ suffering and payment weren’t enough. It’s like saying our sin is “special” and beyond God’s help. When we don’t accept Christ’s forgiveness, it’s not humility. It’s not noble. It discredits Jesus’ work on the cross.

It really comes down to accepting the Bible as God’s Word and making it the ultimate Truth in our lives. If you don’t, our enemy will thoroughly enjoy rehashing and reliving your sin with you. If it seems like I’m being a little harsh, I’m okay with that if it helps bring greater freedom to you. Might we have a better understanding of what Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection did for us!

Heavenly Father, thank you for making provision for us through Christ to be fully washed clean and seen as righteous before You. Help us to receive that forgiveness. Touch those situations that break our hearts with Your Presence and redeeming love - even the sins that we just committed. Help us to grasp that in taking hold of forgiveness, we’re saying Jesus is greater than our sin, and His work was enough. Help us not to make the same mistakes again but to learn from them and grow in You. Renew our vision for our lives, and may we move forward in joy, power, and freedom. Remind us who we are in Christ that we might live out of that. In the ever mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

Now get back in the game!