Overwhelming Forgiveness
Words from Jesus
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“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”—Psalm 103:10–131
I have heard your prayer and the lamentations of your heart. Remember that all have sinned and come short of My glory, and there is none righteous, not one.2 But as far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions from you.3
When you look at yourself in the mirror, you see the blemishes, flaws, and failings. But I see the beauty of one who has chosen to give their life in service to Me out of love. I love you in spite of all your faults and failings, and I look past the blemishes and the uncomely parts to the beauty of your heart surrendered to Me and your passion to live your life for Me.
It is not possible for you to fathom the depth of My love for you, so you must trust in Me and rest in My love. Take confidence in My love and care for you and My promises to you. So fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, I will always help you and uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness.4 I will lead and will guide you in the right paths.5 I will lead you in My will in My time and way, if you trust in Me with all your heart and acknowledge Me in all your ways.6
Dear one, I know your heart and your makeup, and I love you and accept you as you are. You are a vessel of My making, and I love you and am well pleased with your love and devotion. Your love is not perfect, as only My love is perfect. But I love you with an everlasting love. You are My beloved, and I am well pleased with your dedication and your love for Me and for others. Of course, there is room for growth and improvement, but always remember that I know everything about you, every thought, every word, every action, and I love you eternally.
I love you with a perfect love, a love that casts out all fear, if you will only draw near to Me. Your fears will diminish and you will experience My perfect peace as you draw near to Me, for My perfect love will cast out all your fears. And this is the victory that overcomes the world—your faith. I have called, chosen, and ordained you, and with every day that passes you draw closer to that perfect day.
No condemnation, no remorse
All have done things they feel sorry for, and maybe you’ve done something that you feel very bad about. You regret it and are having a hard time overcoming your sorrow or remorse over past mistakes. You wish that you could go back and change things, do it all over again and not make those same mistakes. You review those scenes or mistakes from the past, and the remorse or regret overwhelms, discourages, and condemns you.
But I do not condemn you, My love. I do not look at the past or past mistakes and remember them against you. I do not look at you with condemnation in My eyes. If forgiveness has been sought and forgiveness has been given, then remorse, regret, and sorrow must be put in the past. Otherwise these things will stop the flow of My love in your life.
You must not allow sorrow, guilt, or condemnation to overcome and overwhelm your life. Simply seek forgiveness and allow yourself to be forgiven. Once you’ve done that, there’s no reason to be sorrowful. It doesn’t mean that you haven’t done something for which you’re sorry, but you do not continue in a spirit of sorrow.
I no longer remember your sins against you, My love. I forget and blot them out of My remembrance because I love you. My Spirit is uplifting and encouraging, and it encourages you to follow Me down new paths of love. I have heard your prayers and I have forgiven all your sins. Accept My forgiveness and be free from condemnation. Accept the cleansing power of My blood that washes away all your sins. I love you.
No regrets
You have passed many of life’s most difficult tests. You survived and even thrived through the things that came your way. Sometimes, though, you wonder if you have spent your life as wisely as you could have, and wish you had more to show for yourself. But I don’t focus on your past. I look at your present and future.
I want you to be happy, but first you must let go of your regrets and sorrow over the past. Don’t fall into the trap of remorse, thinking that you failed or fell short and therefore don’t deserve to be happy and fulfilled now or ever. That is not true!
I can help you to trust in Me for the past, as you look forward to a love-filled future in My presence, free of remorse and regrets. What could be more wonderful than that?
Rejoicing in the cross
Rejoice, beloved, because My sacrifice on the cross absorbed all your guilt: past, present, and future. There is no condemnation for those who are in Me. Your guilt-free status as My follower is good reason to be joyful each day of your life.
Ever since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, mankind’s worst problem has been sin. My sacrificial death provided the solution to this terrible problem. The gospel really is the best news imaginable: I took your sin—I became sin for you—and I gave you My perfect righteousness. This is an amazing, eternal transaction!
I want you to learn to enjoy more fully your guilt-free standing in My kingdom. … I’m inviting you to live jubilantly, reveling in the glorious privilege of belonging to Me forever! This is your true identity, and it makes every moment of your life meaningful. Rejoice in knowing who you really are—a beloved child of God.
Rejoice that I have clothed you with garments of salvation. This robe of righteousness is yours forever and ever! Because I am your Savior, My perfect righteousness can never be taken away from you. This means you don’t need to be afraid to face your sins—or to deal with them. As you become aware of sin in your life, confess it and receive My forgiveness in full measure.
It is essential also to forgive yourself. Self-hatred is not pleasing to Me, and it is very unhealthy for you. I urge you to take many looks at Me for every look at your sins or failures. I am the perfect antidote to the poison of self-loathing.
Since you are already precious in My sight, you don’t have to prove your worth by trying to be good enough. I lived a perfect life on your behalf because I knew that you could not. Now I want you to live in the glorious freedom of being My fully forgiven follower. Remember that there is no condemnation for those who belong to Me.7
Published on Anchor November 2022. Read by Simon Peterson.
Music by John Listen.
1 ESV.
2 Romans 3:23, 10.
3 Psalm 103:12.
4 Isaiah 41:10.
5 Psalm 23:3.
6 Proverbs 3:5–6.
7 Sarah Young, Jesus Always (Thomas Nelson, 2017).
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