does not withhold forgiveness even
if our sins are great. If that was true
for David, the accused woman and
Peter, then it is true for us as well.
raped a little girl about twenty
years before. At first, I shuddered
in disgust at the thought of his
crime. However, in time, I discov-
ered a man who was so much more
than his sin. He knew what he had
done; it had broken him. In the
years following his release from
prison, his kindness towards others
was incredible to witness. Now he
lives out of a spirit of forgiveness.
of Romans 8: "Those who enter
into Christ's being-here-for-us no
longer have to live under a continu-
ous, low-lying black cloud. A new
power is in operation. The Spirit of
life in Christ, like a strong wind,
has magnificently cleared the air,
freeing you from a fated lifetime of
brutal tyranny at the hands of sin
and death."
their sins. Yet it is still possible to
live in a way that says, "That was
who I was, but this is who I am
now, in Christ." For others, few,
if any, know the truth, and that
tortured silence becomes its own
stamp of condemnation.
sion, she blurted out, "I was a
witch." She had practiced witch-
craft as a teenager, and although
she had become a Christian in the
intervening years, she felt she had
irreparably damaged her relation-
ship with God. In our work togeth-
er, I listened to her confession and
spoke words of absolution to her. In
the light of her confession, the dark-
ness no longer gripped her, and she
began to recover from the depres-
sion that had bound her for so long.
ton Jr. provides guidance in his
book,
are not easy to accomplish, but he
provides thoughtful direction by
drawing from personal experience
and scholarly research. Beginning
with asking for God's forgiveness,
Worthington challenges us to repair
relationships, rethink our struggles
with God and our own unrealistic
expectations, forgive ourselves and
rebuild our self-image. To complete
our journey to self-forgiveness,
Worthington advises us to resolve
to live virtuously in the days ahead
as we practice cooperating with the
Holy Spirit, and to grant ourselves
mercy if we fail.
is accepting yourself as a flawed in-
dividual, (we all are) yet being con-
vinced that you are precious to the
Lord. You are valued more highly
than you can imagine." It feels like
such a contradiction, but accepting
this paradox is life-affirming.
confess our sins, He who is faithful
and just will forgive us our sins and
cleanse us from all unrighteous-
ness." We may not always be able to
see it, feel it or embrace it, but this
is true, straight from the word of
God. John explains in 1 John 3:19-
20: "By this we will know that we
are from the truth and will reassure
our hearts before Him whenever
our hearts condemn us; for God is
greater than our hearts, and He
knows everything."
final word of counsel. "Repentance
and forgiveness are the pinnacles
of the journey, but a weary traveler
cannot continue without a cup of
cold water." God bestows forgive-
ness in an instant, but it may take
a lifetime to accept the enormity
of that grace. Don't give up! Claim
the promise of Scripture. Accept the
consequences of your actions. Make
amends. Reach out to a trusted
friend or counselor. Receive a cup
of water in the name of Jesus and
drink of its mercy. Trust God's
heart for you.