Have You Forgiven Yourself?

     

“...for His name’s sake your sins were forgiven”(1 John 2:12)

We were flying to a conference.  I was in the middle seat - certainly not my choice - but my husband and I have this agreement.  If a woman is sitting by the window, I sit in the middle, if a man is in the seat by the window, Marvin sits in the middle.

Barely was I settled, when I discerned that the young woman beside me looked sad and deep in thought.  Making conversation, I asked her where she was from, where she was going and what she did.

She was a student and had been attending uersity in Poland - the homeland of her father.  Then she told me sadly that her father had died while she was in school.  She had chosen to attend college in Poland against her father’s wishes and they hadn’t forgiven each other before he died.

She seemed so sad.  I recognized a deeper issue.  I asked her if she had forgiven herself for not complying with her father’s wishes.  She answered that she couldn’t forgive herself, and felt so guilty.  Slowly, I began to tell her about God’s love and forgiveness.  Because of Christ’s death on the cross, her sins were forgiven and guilt was removed.  She could now forgive herself, no matter how awful she thought she had been. While I spoke to her, I prayed and my husband prayed.

I told here about something I had done as a teenager for which I had felt guilty about for so many years; how I had come to the place where I was faced with the choice of forgiving myself because Christ had already forgiven me. And how free I felt when I finally did forgive myself.

The light in her eyes went on.  She began to understand that she was totally forgiven and could forgive herself.  She could be free and happy.  “God meant for you to sit with me today,” she told me at the end of the flight.

How about you?  Is there something in your life for which you feel guilty? You don’t need to.  Simply accept God’s love and forgiveness.

~ Father, thank You that Jesus Christ took our sin and guilt upon Himself at the cross.  Thank You for setting us free.  Thank You for Your love.  Amen.

About the Author:

Katherine J. Kehler is the director of the Secrets of Success.com web site. Among her accomplishments as an innovator and entrepreneur, Katherine has founded and directed numerous websites. In addition, she has authored her own book, When Dreams Come True: Women Today Online and a daily devotional e-book called Inspiration, Meditation and Reflection. Her Daily Inspirations, which help to encourage people in their life’s journey, are published on numerous web sites around the world.

Learn more about Katherine at:
http://www.secretsofsuccess.com/bios/kehler_k.html

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