Matthew 9:2
Some men brought to him a paralyzed man, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
When I posted the daily devotion entitled "Because I'm Forgiven", one of my readers and fellow bloggers commented on the post and left a link to a reflection she had written several months prior that dealt with the issue of forgiveness. She was engaged in her yoga routine one day, attempting to clear her thoughts, when the word "forgive" kept popping up in her mind. No matter how hard she tried, both during and after her exercise, the word refused to leave her consciousness. She decided she needed to flow with it, not fight against it, and see where it led her. What she discovered in her letting go was a plethora of past mistakes, wrong decisions, disappointments, and unfulfilled dreams for which she had never forgiven herself! She had tucked them away in a "black, imaginary, iron box with a strong lock" thinking they would never see daylight again. But, out they came and, with them, her realization that she could not move forward with her life until she began the journey, be it a long and winding road, of self-forgiveness.
Jesus healed countless people of physical infirmities while here on earth, but these miraculous cures, I believe, represent spiritual ones as well. He forgives the paralyzed man of his sins and, because of his faith, he is immediately restored to health. The inability to forgive ourselves, especially when we've asked God's forgiveness, translates to a lack of faith. We are paralyzed, unable to move forward with our lives; we are blind to the peace and beauty our lives could have, we are deaf to the words of truth aching to escape that black, imaginary, iron box.
Don't allow the fear of facing your past mistakes, confronting them, and letting them go, one by one, cripple you. Take heart! Pray to Jesus, the forgiver of all our sins, to help you release the ones your remember, knowing, with faith, that He has already wiped the slate clean.
Readings
Psalms (120), 121, 122, 123 or 124, 125, 126, (127)
2 Kings 22:1-13
1 Corinthians 11:2, 17-22
Matthew 9:1-8
Very insightful....letting go of some of our negative emotions and forgiving is a mindful practice. Trying to get there.
ReplyDeleteHi, Janu, and thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a most difficult practice, but, for the sake of our own well-being, we must do so, one way or the other. Blessings on your journey of self-forgiveness!
This is a forgotten virtue, Martha. Sometimes, we tend to focus on forgiving others and forget to forgive ourselves....It took me many years to work through this and only when I did was I able to truly appreciate the vastness and beauty of God's love.
ReplyDeleteForgiving one's self rides on the power of Jesus' forgiveness. God always gives us a second chance, and a third, and a fourth...We need but ride on that power.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Corinne and Hank, for stopping by and leaving such wonderful comments.
ReplyDelete@Corinne, yes, we have to acknowledge the enormity of His great love to know it's okay to forgive ourselves.
@Hank, I'm so glad He always gives us another chance to do the right thing!
Blessings, all!
Sine then Forgiveness has taken place... I have stepped forward and that burden of the black iron box is no longer....
ReplyDeleteThank you
Beautiful post Martha.....I am trying to forgive myself...and have learnt to forgive others.
ReplyDeleteIt’s as important to forgive ourselves as to forgive others – yes? It’s the little foxes that spoil the vine. Those hidden nagging thoughts keep us from forward motion, sometimes leaving us paralyzed.
ReplyDeleteAnd as soon as I’ve identified an area within myself, I’ve learned to let it go. Just that simple: let it go.
Am not sure how that word 'Sine' found itself here... But what i meant was I have found forgiveness and have forgiven myself....
ReplyDeleteForgiving ourselves is absolutely one of the most difficult things we face on our Walk Martha. Satan loves to use those seeds of discord within us to keep that guilt alive, poisoning our spirit in the process.
ReplyDeleteThankfully, when we open our hearts to the Lord and lay our burdens in His hands, He can help purge those hidden dissents from us.
Have a Blessed Day Martha!