The Joy Of Being Forgiven

 Joy of Being Forgiven

We all know what it’s like when we have totally blown it, and said or done things that have caused pain in a relationship. Sometimes it took the courage of coming clean to admit that it was us and not someone else who was responsible and that was tough. 

But what joy when we did that, asked for and received forgiveness, and then moved ahead.  I think that’s part of what the person who wrote these words in the Bible was experiencing.

Oh, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight!  Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! When I refused to confess my sin, my body wasted away, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat.

Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt. I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.” And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.

Psalm 32:1-5

We can hear the pain of realizing things have gone wrong can’t we, the anguish as the person worked out what to do to live in complete honesty, struggling to come clean but then doing it and the amazing freedom and lightness that followed. 

And so my question to all of us today is, where do we find ourselves in these kinds of emotions with anyone today?  Are we willing to do what’s required so our disobedience is forgiven and our guilt cleared?  Are we willing to make room for the joy of the Lord by clearing out the wreckage through confession, repentance, and asking for and receiving forgiveness.

Or, will we continue to live in the anguish described here of groaning, wasting away, heaviness, strength evaporating?  We often try to find excuses for these conditions other than dealing with our wrongdoing but God’s Word is clear that joy only comes when God clears our record of guilt and our lives are lived in complete honesty.

Loving God, it’s so hard to own our responsibility when things go wrong with others.  We’d so much rather blame others and excuse ourselves but it just doesn’t bring us freedom and settledness of mind and heart. 

Your word is truth and we’ve experienced that the only release in our souls is confession, repentance, and receiving forgiveness. 

Help us again today, in any area where things have gone wrong to take this amazing journey to freedom and joy.  Give us grace to leave the wrongs of others with you and them and simply deal with our own stuff with You.

Thank you for freedom and blessing when we do things Your way.  Amen

I’ve heard many Step 5 – people in recovery who are following the “admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs” and to a person the sense of relief and lightness that comes from doing that, no matter the horror of the past, mirrors what God’s Word says.

What action do we each need to consider taking today?  God bless you as you take it.