If Jesus was able to forgive his accusers when he was crucified, I know that he will give you the strength to forgive others and yourself. His forgiveness extends even to you.
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Megan couldn’t bear to look at herself in the mirror anymore. Every time she did it felt as though the person staring back at her was scowling with contempt. Three months previously, she was raped while walking home late one night. “If only you had not walked that route. You should have known better. It was all your fault!” she cried out. Megan simply could not forgive herself for allowing this to happen to her.
Ephesians 5:29
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church
Many of us find ourselves in similar situations. Not that we’ve all endured the filth of rape, but even many lesser atrocities may leave us feeling emotionally destitute and self-condemned. Sadly, many of these offences may not have even been our fault – as with Megan – but they can still inflict shame upon us, resulting in self-loathing and unforgiveness. But like all unforgiveness, unforgiveness only destroys the person holding onto the offence.
Jesus hung dying on a filthy wooden cross. With pain flooding his senses he looked down on the crowd who had crucified him: a few bloodied Roman soldiers, now gambling for his clothing; three members of the Sanhedrin witnessing his execution, each with a smug look of indignation on his face; a group of men pointing and laughing while the criminal on the cross to his left was jeering at hurling insults at him. “Father,” cried Jesus, “Father, forgive them.” Jesus’ hoarse words above the roar of the wind. “They don’t know what they are doing.”
For whatever offence you may have endured, you may be battling with unforgiveness today. Often, as in Megan’s case, you may be struggling with forgiving yourself. Often, we find it more difficult to forgive ourselves for bad things that happen to us, for reasons of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jesus commanded us to love our neighbours as ourselves. Thus, it would not be possible to love our neighbour if we could not love ourselves. Forgiveness demonstrates love.
If Jesus was able to forgive his accusers when he was crucified, I know that he will give you the strength to forgive others and yourself. His forgiveness extends even to you. Paul Boese said, “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” So, the next time you look in the mirror, look through the reflection of the cross.
God-tracking is forgiving yourself as Christ has forgiven you.
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DON’T GIVE UP, LOOK UP & PRAY
“I forgive myself and thank you for your strength to overcome this sense of self-loathing.”
“My Lord, I feel so ashamed today. Every time I look in the mirror I remember all the offences of my past. I repent of all my sins, O Lord, and thank you that you have forgiven me for all wrongdoing. However, this thing that I am battling to forgive myself for is still plaguing me. I confess to you that I consciously let it go today! I reject this feeling of guilt because I know you have forgiven me. Therefore, I forgive myself and I thank you for your strength to overcome this sense of self-loathing. So, the next time I look in the mirror, I will be looking for the reflection of the cross. Amen.”
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GodTracker
You can track God’s plans for your life with Dudley Anderson, the author of Tracking the Will of God . This post is part of Dudley’s weekly GodTracker devotional series. You can also listen to his GodTracker podcast.
What is GodTracker?
GodTracker is a weekly e-mail Christian motivational thought, written by Dudley Anderson, based on the premise that God has a plan for our lives. His Word calls us to seek his plan by acknowledging him in all our ways and by tracking his purposes, in faith. Most of what you’ll read is based upon the author’s personal experience of tracking the plans of God.
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