This week as we continue to learn about forgiveness and becoming more forgiving, we recognize that in some cases it may be easy to forgive others, but sometimes the thing we struggle with the most is forgiving ourselves. We are often our own worst critics and tend to be so hard on ourselves. We learned earlier this week that God’s forgiveness is readily available to us, all we have to do is ask for it. So if God has forgiven us why can’t we forgive ourselves? It may be because we made a small simple mistake that we know better than to make and we beat ourselves up for being so careless to even make it. Or it may be that what we did is so overwhelmingly shameful in our eyes that there’s no way we’re letting ourselves “off the hook” for that and there’s no way we can forgive ourselves for it.
As we are called to extend the grace we receive from God to others we have to also be willing to accept it ourselves. We are not called to live in shame or regret. We are called to live into the freely forgiven life that Jesus lays out for us. So today as you spend time in God’s presence in silence and solitude ask God to open your eyes to the things in your life you need to forgive yourself for. Sometimes we sweep things under the rug and don’t even realize it’s weighing us down because it’s buried so deeply. Begin taking steps today to learn how to forgive yourself and cast your burdens onto God. 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30 #becomingmore #becomingmoreforgiving