How can we forgive ourselves as easily as we can others?

Via dolarossa

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What does it really mean that God forgives us?



I’ve done some stupid things in my time.

People have done stupid things to me.

I have forgiven them. In fact

It seems easier to forgive others than it does myself.

Sometimes I still struggle with myself in this area. Memories return and I can feel sometimes like there is no progress.



Why is this?

Why does it feel much harder to forgive ourselves?



We can beat ourself up much at a much easier pace than others. over and over again. and the enemy( satan) will harden the feeling of guilt and shame and keeps us locked inside a judgement that we are a bad horrific person. If we see ourselves as bad people, How are we going to do things differently and see things differently if deep down we know we are bad?



Satan loves these kinds of episodes though I’ve noticed.

It’s one of his greatest tools.

Well guess what?

We are all evil as Jesus says we are maybe only by degrees, but How be it that God still says He loves us? ( because sometimes I just don’t see it)

If we don’t feel like we are good enough to get to heaven, but Jesus says we are, then all we can do is believe and keep on believing until He gets us there. The devil will continue to tempt us into guilt and suffering but we must do our part and shove him back in his corner where he belongs.but how do we do this when we’re exhausted???

Sorry, just having a moment of rotten memories that now and then try and bring me down.

Thanks for listening.
 
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.but how do we do this when we’re exhausted???
Well after some peace and rest and meditation I notice we can distract ourselves or we can sit with our feelings and discover something new.

We were different back then.
If we knew that what we did would hurt them we would t have done it.

When we try to release who we once were,
We feel unanchored and unstable because we are letting go of something we believe is who we still are even though it’s now a phantom.
 
More musings from a loosening mind…

It’s easier to forgive others because:-

They’re I’ll. they are sick.
They’re were crazy. Drunk or high.
They didn’t realise what they were doing.
They were too busy to even notice.
They were just mad or angry.
They knew something I didn’t.
Etc…

Ever noticed how some of us don’t even place those kinds of buffers on ourselves.










 

I came across this beautiful psalm. Psalm 51.​

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.
4 Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.
15 Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 My sacrifice, O God, is[b] a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous,
in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.​


Let me read that again!

“Against you only have I sinned”, king David said in psalm 51:4.

So basically, after waking in David’s shoes…We only fail to live up to our own standard, not God’s. For He knows what we are all like anyway and even though we were created good we are not perfect because only God is.

Amen.
 
What does it really mean that God forgives us?
Scripture tells us clearly to forgive others, so why would God not forgive us?

Our own minds and the adversary tend to have us believe that God puts more emphasis on our trespasses than the blood Jesus shed to save us all. God loves us so much that He sent His Son Jesus down to this world to die for us. He did this so we could live and be reconciled (forgiven) with Him.

John 3:16
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

There are no if’s, and’s or but’s.

Isaiah 43:25
25 I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy
sins.

So, as we confess our sins to God, He forgives us and does not remember them anymore. Period.

However, as you said, the enemy will try to get us to remember those sins and cast doubt into our hearts, even though the truth is that God truly does not turn from us and He forgives and forgets.

It is sometimes easy to believe the lies of the adversary that you'll never be forgiven. In my own life I have done things where I have asked for forgiveness, and was not given it from the person I hurt. We probably all have.

Sometimes I haven’t forgiven myself because I feel remorse for my actions and so I sometimes wish for a cosmic “reset” button. Then I could go back and not make that mistake. This is our conscious awakening and happens with self examination and true repentance.

Even though we may not always get forgiveness from those we hurt, or even forgiveness from ourselves, we must not forget that God has forgiven us without a doubt. It is a promise from your Father.

Doubt is from the enemy and it is his duty to get you to believe the opposite of what God has told you, has promised us all.

God bless you and those you love.
 
Hi Via
I am with you. You have explained it so well. It is true repentance. Then you came through it with that beautiful psalm.. God loved David so much.

Your feelings remind me of the Israelites when they mourned for their sins. God forgave the. It also reminds me of
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted .

Blessings Via
 
Some good points been put out here. Especially the point about the emphasis on trespasses.

Anyway, forgive me as I continue to mumble my way through my thoughts..

So after heading towards the blessing sector earlier, I notice sometimes I don't even feel grateful for anything. And instead of feeling guilty, I didn't care! well what a pleasant surprise lol...😁

Maybe God is saying since I now Love Him (The Truth) He can bless me better.

Dunno. But Amen.

Blessings y'all.

 
I guess it comes down to how much we yield our fallen nature over to the spirit of God and his word. Our fallen nature be so unpredictable who can fully know it’s deep dark depths of despair except only God. In honour the wrong must righted. There was a time when even duels were excepted as a gentlemanly act to right one’s carnal ego of being wronged.
 
I guess it comes down to how much we yield our fallen nature over to the spirit of God and his word. Our fallen nature be so unpredictable who can fully know it’s deep dark depths of despair except only God. In honour the wrong must righted. There was a time when even duels were excepted as a gentlemanly act to right one’s carnal ego of being wronged.
Oh yes. I’m with you on this. Sometimes I want things to be so different but the Spirit of God reminds me that because of my insatiable nature whatever I chase won’t make me happy forever.

It’s a balance of allowing God to direct me my steps , whilst savouring His Truth that Only In Him can be found The real satisfaction.

That’s a life long journey there for me and one I’m Glad He keeps in reminding me whilst I work my way through life.

Blessings Prim.
 
So I’m turning the Original Post of asking why we find it harder to forgive ourselves than others into How can we forgive ourselves just like we can others.it seems to be Heading this way anyway( Thanks Lord😁)

It seems a slight change to the title may well alter the direction. Let’s see how it goes.
 
Forgiving others costs us little.

But forgiving ourselves requires us to admit to our self and to our Lord that we have been wrong. We also know ourselves and are unable/unwilling to do better in the future. It's hard to forgive our self when we know we haven't changed the nature within ourselves to _not_ commit the same wrong again.

Some sins are quite within our control. Some may require additional growth before we can achieve victory. We need to be aware of which variety a given sin is, commit ourselves before the Lord to either correct our thoughts and behavior or seek His aid in growth.

Beyond that, put the confessed sin behind you and do not let the enemy use it to defeat you.
 
We also know ourselves and are unable/unwilling to do better in the future. It's hard to forgive our self when we know we haven't changed the nature within ourselves to _not_ commit the same wrong again
Yes.a leopard doesn’t change its spots comes to mind. Yes I haven’t had the insight to see it this way before until now.

That puts things into a fresher light.

Also puts the phase “ what are you like” into a greater perspective and opens up glimpses of what we can expect of ourselves in the future.

Thanks
 
The battle against principalities and powers.
It is a fact that we can't win that one intellectually. The prince of this world knows man and is of far greater intellect.
The thing that will defeat him any place every way any time is God's Word. So let's stand on that and not on our understanding.
You talk about sin. The believer can not sin, they can fall but they will get up again and keep walking. The only real sin is unbelief because Jesus paid the price, so it is a done deal, it is up to the individual to recieve it. If a person rejects it then they are guilty. That is why children are saved if they pass away before they reach the age of accountability. They may not be part of the bride (that is up to the Father) but they will recieve salvation at the judgement.
 
I agree. We've to look ahead and throw the past away. It is not easy to do.
When I think of all Christ suffered to save mankind I hate myself for the part I had in adding to that suffering. What great love The Lord has for each one of us. Then I start again to stop doing things I hate. When I fail if The Lord can forgive me I should be able to. Then I ask God to help me with it all. But I still regret what I have done.

We are all made of flesh.
Blessings
 
The believer can not sin, they can fall but they will get up again and keep walking. The only real sin is unbelief because Jesus paid the price, so it is a done deal,

Jesus paying the price still Doesn’t register very well but I do see things more clearly now in what you said here and there is something definitely drawing closer I cannot explain. I have a terrible phobia of the name Jesus why couldn’t he have been called Craig or something. I like the word Lord much better actually and yet as a also like reading stories of the Buddha I don’t even have a fear of that name or what he was all about.maybe it’s to do with all the fantastical things he did which buddha never did, buddha just said he was not a god just a man.. I dunno…

Maybe I haven’t quite gone through the hatch yet.

Gods got this though so no worries he will finish a good work I’m sure.

Thanks.
 
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