Learning To Receive - Receiving Forgiveness

 

"God's love is not something we achieve by becoming better people. It is the gift we awaken to when we finally stop trying to prove ourselves worthy. Grace always comes first. It is not a reward for the righteous but the foundation upon which new life is built." —  Richard Rohr

Most of us understand forgiveness—at least in theory.

We believe that God forgives us. We proclaim it in worship, hear it in Scripture, and sing about it in our hymns. Yet many of us continue carrying guilt long after God has laid it down.

We confess our sins, but we continue sentencing ourselves.

I know that this is something that I struggle with, and I imagine I'm not alone in that struggle.  Many of us live with regrets over things we have done or left undone in our past.  We might be able to let go of bitterness, anger, and feelings of betrayal toward others, but the hurdle of actually forgiving ourselves is one we have difficulty leaping over.  

In my role as a pastor, I have had countless conversations with parishioners who were so filled with regret, remorse, and shame over their perceived mistakes and poor decisions that they were unable to move on and live full and vibrant lives.  

What I've come to understand is that far too many of us believe that forgiveness is for others, but for some reason we are not worthy of the kind of grace that we believe God has for us.  

Psalm 103 offers one of the Bible's most beautiful promises: "As far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). Notice the direction of the movement. God is not merely overlooking our failures. God is removing them completely. They no longer define who we are.

Jesus illustrates this same truth in the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Before the son can finish rehearsing his confession, the father is already embracing him. There is no probationary period, no lecture, no invitation to earn his way back into the family. There is only welcome.

How different this is from the way we often treat ourselves.

We replay old failures. We relive conversations we wish had gone differently. We wonder if we've done enough to deserve another chance. Yet grace refuses to operate according to the logic of earning.

Receiving forgiveness requires its own kind of courage. It asks us to believe that God's mercy is greater than our mistakes. It invites us to stop defining ourselves by our worst moments and instead allow God's love to tell us who we truly are.

If God has chosen not to hold your past against you, perhaps it is time to stop holding it against yourself.

Grace cannot be earned. It can only be received.

Prayer

Merciful God, thank you for loving me more deeply than I can imagine. Help me to believe that your forgiveness is complete and your mercy new every morning. Free me from the burden of carrying guilt that you have already taken away. Teach me to receive your grace with gratitude and to walk forward in the freedom you have given me. Amen.

Reflection Questions

1. Is there something from your past that you continue to hold against yourself?
2. Why do you think receiving forgiveness can sometimes be harder than asking for it?
3. What would change if you truly believed that God has removed your sins "as far as the east is from the west"?