1 John 1:9 (NASB)
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 32:1 (TLB)
1 What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record.

Matthew 6:12 (NASB)
12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

Personal prayer time is when we most often ask God for forgiveness. We can bare our souls to Him without others listening to us. We really don’t like (I know I don’t) others to know about the deep sin in our lives, so God gives us prayer to do that with Him. David expresses in Psalm 32 the great joy that comes from true repentance; to know that our sins have been forgiven and are no longer part of our record.

1 John 1:9 is a beautiful promise that God is always faithful to forgive us. And Jesus told the disciples as He taught them how to pray that we must also be mindful of those that we need to forgive. When we have sinned against someone or they against us, He calls us to ask for forgiveness to those we have wronged and to forgive others when they have done wrong to us. There are no exceptions in scripture. We don’t get to hold a grudge against someone even if they haven’t asked us for forgiveness.

In today’s world of focusing on self and what is right for us, this whole business of asking for and giving forgiveness seems out of place. People are more interested in getting even and disguising it as justice. But God knows that without forgiveness it leads to two things. The first, if we have wronged another, is guilt. If we have been wronged, it leads to holding a grudge. Both are destructive. Without forgiveness we can’t have our full joy in God.

Obeying God should be enough, but we actually have another reason for forgiving others. It’s good for us. I can’t remember where I heard this, so I can’t give credit for the quote, but many years ago I heard this about not forgiving someone and holding a grudge. I’ve never forgotten it. “Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”

When we are truly repentant and ask God for forgiveness, He is faithful, He forgives and our record is clean. If we turn away from that sin, then it is once and done. It doesn’t always seem to work that way when we forgive others. We often have to re-forgive many times before it finally sticks. Another quote that I remember about this is: “If you bury the hatchet today with someone, don’t go out and dig it up tomorrow.” If you do dig it up, make sure you put it back where it belongs right away and eventually it will stay buried. Only then will we have the joy that God wants from us.

Heavenly Father, give me a forgiving heart. You are so faithful to forgive me. You loved me even when I was your enemy. Show me how to treat others in the same way. Amen.

Always praying for the glory of God,