It’s Yesterday Once More

Well, God here I am again. It seems like I was just here yesterday, confessing the same thing. It seems like full circle, doesn’t it? What’s that? You don’t remember? Serious?

This forgiveness thing really messes me up.

It’s so hard for me.

And so … easy for Him.

I think that God’s memory is long – eternally long. But He says He forgives – and forgets. I don’t understand it, because I don’t have the same capacity for love. I forgive, try to forget, and then conveniently resurrect it when the opportunity is right.

We have these lingering doubts about our abilities. We recall our sins – past and present – and rate them on a scale of forgivability.
When I fail God, I double down on the trouble, because I don’t trust Him enough to forgive me. To be honest, I love my religion of doubt and shame more than I love my Savior.I safely hide behind my creeds and commandments, my structure and society.

But this world of guilt runs headlong into a wild Savior and then things become dangerous.

“When we sin and mess up our lives, ewe find that God doesn’t go off and leave us. He enters our troubles and even saves us!” Eugene Patterson – Long Obedience in the same direction

I have had people in my life who never really forgiven, harboring every wrong and adding to the wall of doubt brick by brick, making both of us miserable. That’s no way to live.

Grace is dangerous because it frees you. It drops the chains and the shackles. It cuts loose the hobbling restraints and lets you be who God designed you to be – His child. It frees you to begin to live with others in harmony.

Every single time I come to Him with my silly self. He smiles and waves me closer.

Please, share with a friend if you feel moved.
Read all past issues at http://www.patheos.com/blogs/davidrupert