The Freedom of Forgiveness
The Freedom of Forgiveness
Today’s Reading Psalm 31-25
Today’s Devotional: Psalm 32
There is nothing more wearisome than unconfessed sin. When we allow sin to remain unchecked, unconfessed, and unforgiven in our lives, it robs us of our joy in life and leaves us with a deep awareness that life is unfulfilled and wearisome. Deep within us, there is an awareness that something is not right and that there is a longing that cannot be satisfied. The allure of sin is that it promises enjoyment and fulfillment. It appeals to our fundamental desire to pursue pleasure apart from God.
David does not mention the nature of his sin. It may have been a sin of omission (that is, when we fail to do what God demands) or a sin of commission (when we act contrary to what God commands. It may have been a sin against God or a sin against someone else. It may have been a deliberate act of disobedience or an inadvertent sin because we made a wrong decision. What we do know is that sin is ever-present with us and that no matter how we strive to obey God, sin still is present and we still fail to live according to God’s standard of holiness. When (not if), then we all know the inward plague of guilt. It robs us of the joy of life, and it destroys our relationship with people and with God. Yet there is something deep within us that desires to hide our guilt and ignore its presence. Yet the more we seek to conceal it, the more it drains us of our peace and happiness. We can think that if we ignore it long enough, it will just go away. But it does not. It haunts us in the night and drains our vitality in the day.
While guilt and sin are relentless taskmasters, we are not powerless in our confrontation with sin. God has provided a remedy, and that is the forgives he offers. All we have to do is merely acknowledge our sin and ask for his forgiveness. Yet this remains the hardest thing to do, for pride is ever-present in our souls, and it refuses to allow us to acknowledge our wrong. Pride seeks to be independent of God and desires to elevate itself above God. It refuses to acknowledge wrongdoing to elevate ourselves above others. We would rather choose to be miserable than acknowledge our wrong. However, as David acknowledges, the simple act of confess brings not only the joy of forgiveness but the realization of God’s protection and guidance (vs 6-7). Having experienced the pain of guilt and the joy of forgiveness, David thus encourages us to humble ourselves before God and submit to his instruction (vs 8-9). When we surrender our lives to God to live in obedience to him, when we acknowledge our sin and seek his forgiveness, then our guilt turns to joy, and the anger of God’s wrath turns to the outpouring of his lovingkindness.
If you have wronged someone or disobeyed God, if you are troubled because you know that you have sin in the past that you are ashamed to acknowledge, so that you still feel the weight of your guilt, forgiveness is available. God can restore us and make us whole, no matter how ashamed we are. There is no sin beyond God’s forgiveness and no person beyond the restorative power of God. Instead of the groaning of guilt, we can enjoy the blessing of forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 reminds us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness.” The only thing that prevents us from the joy of forgiveness is ourselves. If there is the plague of guilt, then ask God for his restorative power of grace. That is a prayer he promises always to answer.
Today’s Reading Psalm 31-25
Today’s Devotional: Psalm 32
There is nothing more wearisome than unconfessed sin. When we allow sin to remain unchecked, unconfessed, and unforgiven in our lives, it robs us of our joy in life and leaves us with a deep awareness that life is unfulfilled and wearisome. Deep within us, there is an awareness that something is not right and that there is a longing that cannot be satisfied. The allure of sin is that it promises enjoyment and fulfillment. It appeals to our fundamental desire to pursue pleasure apart from God.
David does not mention the nature of his sin. It may have been a sin of omission (that is, when we fail to do what God demands) or a sin of commission (when we act contrary to what God commands. It may have been a sin against God or a sin against someone else. It may have been a deliberate act of disobedience or an inadvertent sin because we made a wrong decision. What we do know is that sin is ever-present with us and that no matter how we strive to obey God, sin still is present and we still fail to live according to God’s standard of holiness. When (not if), then we all know the inward plague of guilt. It robs us of the joy of life, and it destroys our relationship with people and with God. Yet there is something deep within us that desires to hide our guilt and ignore its presence. Yet the more we seek to conceal it, the more it drains us of our peace and happiness. We can think that if we ignore it long enough, it will just go away. But it does not. It haunts us in the night and drains our vitality in the day.
While guilt and sin are relentless taskmasters, we are not powerless in our confrontation with sin. God has provided a remedy, and that is the forgives he offers. All we have to do is merely acknowledge our sin and ask for his forgiveness. Yet this remains the hardest thing to do, for pride is ever-present in our souls, and it refuses to allow us to acknowledge our wrong. Pride seeks to be independent of God and desires to elevate itself above God. It refuses to acknowledge wrongdoing to elevate ourselves above others. We would rather choose to be miserable than acknowledge our wrong. However, as David acknowledges, the simple act of confess brings not only the joy of forgiveness but the realization of God’s protection and guidance (vs 6-7). Having experienced the pain of guilt and the joy of forgiveness, David thus encourages us to humble ourselves before God and submit to his instruction (vs 8-9). When we surrender our lives to God to live in obedience to him, when we acknowledge our sin and seek his forgiveness, then our guilt turns to joy, and the anger of God’s wrath turns to the outpouring of his lovingkindness.
If you have wronged someone or disobeyed God, if you are troubled because you know that you have sin in the past that you are ashamed to acknowledge, so that you still feel the weight of your guilt, forgiveness is available. God can restore us and make us whole, no matter how ashamed we are. There is no sin beyond God’s forgiveness and no person beyond the restorative power of God. Instead of the groaning of guilt, we can enjoy the blessing of forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 reminds us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of ALL unrighteousness.” The only thing that prevents us from the joy of forgiveness is ourselves. If there is the plague of guilt, then ask God for his restorative power of grace. That is a prayer he promises always to answer.
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