![]() In 2 Corinthians 7:10, we are warned that there is a difference between true repentance and “wordly sorrow”. As the old saying goes, “If you want to show me you are sorry, don’t do it again!” We are told to confess and repent, with repentance being a commitment to feel and show that you are sorry for something bad or wrong that you did and that you sincerely want to do what is right. Confession and repentance lead to a restoration of a right relationship with God, based on mercy.” Unconfessed sin is the ultimate disorder in life. Ever feel that way?ĭigging for answers, I read Proverbs 28:13: “ Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” My eyes stopped at the word “renounces.” What does it mean to renounce one’s sins? The Reformation Study Bible offers this explanation: “The orderliness and well-being in one’s life is linked to an intensely personal relationship with God. I also believe 1 John 1:9: “ If we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Nevertheless, it can still be a challenge for me to forgive myself. I know that confession - telling God what he already knows about us - is a starting point in erasing negative thoughts. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes hang on to guilt from my own past wrongs like a dog fighting for a bone. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13 (NLT) “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Sometimes we have been hurt so badly we cry, “Do you not know what THEY have done to me? Jesus responds, “Do you not know what I have done for you?” Note, Those that come to God for the forgiveness of their sins against him, must make conscience forgiving those who have offended them.” I find enlightening the explanation of this Scripture in Matthew Henry’s Commentary: “This is not a plea of merit, but a plea of grace. “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. It starts with the words of Jesus in the Lord’s Prayer. How, we wonder, can we obtain a tabula rasa - a clear slate - a mind not troubled by old experiences, guilt, or pain?Ĭlearing the slate involves forgiveness. Memories of how we have been hurt by others, or thoughts of how we have intentionally or accidentally hurt others can leave deep emotional scars. Unfortunately it takes more than a shake or a twist to erase our negative thoughts. Do you remember the Etch-A-Sketch® we played with as children? You could scribble anything you wanted on them, and then with a shake of the tablet or a twist of the wheel erase what been had written and start again.
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