Forgiving Myself

By: Tony Griffies

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This past Wednesday night I pointed the hearts and minds of my teens toward the subject of forgiveness. We dealt with and discussed the fact that Christ's body was broken for us so that we could be forgiven. We faced the facts of scripture that speak of our measure of forgiveness and it's correlation with our willingness to forgive others.

I've often connected two thoughts in scripture, and taught on the connection I perceive. What the majority of Christians call "The Lord's Prayer" states, among other things, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Matthew 6:12)

The other passage I have in mind is found a few verses earlier in chapter 5 of Matt hew where Jesus says (in the context of anger and hatred toward others), "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." (vs. 23-24)

"What if the person I'm not so quick to forgive is me?"

I have always taken the same lessons from these two passages: That God takes seriously the nature and tenor of my relationships with others, that my receipt of forgiveness is inextricably linked to the measure of forgiveness I give to others; that God is not interested in my worship if I hold contempt in my heart for someone else.

And then it hit me. Like a ton of bricks bearing down upon me, a new thought rushed into my consciousness. What if the person I'm not so quick to forgive is me? What if my relationship with myself is not what God wants it to be? What if, in my seemingly failed attempts to avoid my personal pitfalls, I still carry shame and unresolved guilt? Does God delight in the worship that comes from such a heart? I pray that we can not only make the sour relationships we may have with others into good relationships, but that we can also release the burdens of sin and guilt that we often carry. Let us give our burdens over to God, so that He can delight in our sacrifices of praise and worship.

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