If you are having a difficult time forgiving yourself, you are not alone.
When my children were little, I struggled with condemnation over my lack of prayer. One morning, heaviness fell upon me. I felt like such a failure. I stood at my kitchen counter and cried out to God,
“Lord I am such a failure. Please forgive me. I am not praying enough or reading my Bible. Please forgive me.”
This heaviness stayed with me throughout the day. That night I tucked my children in bed. I crawled into my bed and cried out once more,
“God I am so sorry, I am such a failure.”
Then I drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night my 4-year-old daughter awakened me. I took care of her needs and then went back to bed. Once again I cried out to God,
“Lord I will try harder. I am so sorry for failing you.”
I finally fell back to sleep and a short time later my son woke me. So I slipped out of bed and took care of him. I went back to bed and cried out to God again until I fell fast asleep. The next time that I awakened, before I could even think, a scripture was floating through my mind.
Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us. Romans 8:34 (NLT)
God was telling me that He was not condemning me. He loved me and died for me. This realization set me free. I no longer struggle with condemnation.
If you are struggling with condemnation and can’t seem to get free, know that God does not condemn you, He loves you and wants to set you free. Surrender to Him and receive His forgiveness.
Father, Forgive me for my failures. Thank you for not condemning me. I receive your help and grace In Jesus Name.
*Excerpt from Mud On My Knees Prayer Guide
Forgiving yourself is not a feeling. It is a decision you make in order to align yourself with the will of God. If you are still feeling stuck in guilt and condemnation God has provided His Word to wash your heart.
Sometimes after unloading your feelings to God, your heart may still feel rotten and dirty from the remains of your fleshly ways. But when you are submersed in the living and active word of God, your old nature is put off and the new person you are in Christ arises, producing His sweet fragrance in you.
Just as Jesus the Word (John 1:1) washed the disciples’ feet to cleanse them from their contact with the world, so the word of God cleanses you from worldly influences. It has power to sanctify you and transform your mind, will and emotions into the image of Christ. During your journaling time, ask God to search your heart to see if there’s any sinful way in you (Psalm 139:23). Record what He shows you, then confess your sins to Him, for He is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Soak and bathe yourself in God’s word allowing it to wash over you. Let Jesus wash away those things that block His presence from flowing through your life, and let His character shine through you. Once your heart is clean, gaze into the water of His word again and see your new reflection—the image of Christ.
Listen. Can you hear Him? He is saying, “Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you” (John 15:3 KJV).
Washing with the Word
If you have personally asked Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, then He, the Living Word, lives in you and His character already abides in you.
If you want God’s blessings to follow you, but don’t know Him personally, click here.
If you have fallen away from an intimate relationship with God and want to recommit your life to Him, click here.
Through His Word and His indwelling Spirit, He has given you everything you need to reflect His divine nature.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Slowly read, pray and meditate on the personalized verses of scripture below, allowing them to soak into your heart and wash over your innermost being to help you overcome areas of weakness. As you allow them to permeate your thoughts, the living word will be activated to renew your mind and transform your heart into the likeness of God’s precious Son, Jesus Christ.
You can prepare your heart for the washing process by praying the scripture prayer below, allowing God to reveal what’s in your heart; then go directly to the following category on condemnation for complete cleansing.
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Ps. 139:23-24 kjv). I confess my sins to You now Lord, for You said if I confess my sins, You are faithful and just to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9 nkj). Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me (Ps. 51:10 kjv). If I had cherished sin in my heart, Lord, You would not have listened; but You, God have surely listened and heard my voice in prayer (Ps. 66:18-19). I now approach the throne of grace with confidence, to receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need (Heb. 4:16).
Condemnation
“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” (Rom. 8:1-2 kjv)
“For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;” (Rev. 12:10b-11a)
Who is there Lord who will condemn me? Will Christ? No! For He is the one who died for me and came back to life again for me, and Jesus is sitting at the place of highest honor next to You, Father, pleading for me there in heaven (Rom. 8:34 tlb). Father, when I confess my sins to You, You are faithful and just to forgive me and purify me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). As far as the east is from the west, so far have You removed my transgressions from me (Ps. 103:12 nasb), and my sins You remember no more (Heb. 10:17). I can approach the throne of grace with confidence that I may receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need (Heb. 4:16).
*Excerpt from Washing With the Word Journal
This is not a time to read the Word to gain knowledge. God’s Word is alive and has a washing effect. It will change your heart. Speak it out and allow it to wash over you until you sense a breakthrough.
XOXO, Debra