Tag: Guilt

“Begging for Forgiveness”

Begging for forgiveness. Have you ever caught your self doing this? Maybe it was from a loved one you had deeply wounded? Or a friend you sliced with a slip of the tongue?

I have. And what is even more fascinating to me is begging forgiveness from Jesus. Maybe, like me, you have been paralyzed by the overwhelming sense of grief and shame from a particular sin. And out of this you, like me, are constantly begging the Lord to forgive you?

But just the other day, as I was doing my message on the Cross of Jesus, the Lord open my eyes to see something very profound: When He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Lk 23:34 NIV84), no one was asking for forgiveness, let alone begging. No one. And yet He forgave them—and us. This reality shuttered to my soul.

As I continued to ponder this, the truth became more and more evident: I don’t need to beg for forgiveness, I need only receive it! Once I have confessed my sin, owned its impact and consequences, and repented, then all that is left for me is to receive this gracious gift of forgiveness, which washes away my guilt, my shame and any regrets. No more begging! Merely receiving.

Perhaps you are farther down the road in your journey with Jesus than I am, but this is so freeing to me, so much so, it is even hard to capture right now in words.

How about you? What are your thoughts on the differences between earnestly begging for and merely receiving His forgiveness?

Main Text— Ephesians 1:7–8 (NKJV)— 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her,  “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more. ”—John 8:11 (NKJV)

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.—2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV84)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.—1 John 1:9 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, I have repented of my sins. I forsake my past and give You my present and my future. I humbly receive the grace of Your forgiveness. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“A Badge too Heavy to Bear”

Yes, for years I put in a lot of hours working. And I got a lot done. A lot! I marked my progress by what was accomplished and by my productivity. “For every one hour I put in it’s worth 3 – 4 hours of the average person,”  I would boast. Oh, then I’d tag it by noting how many hours I had put it….

This self-issued “Badge of Honor” became a badge too heavy to bear. I was rarely—if ever—home, I was constantly pumping adrenaline (since I don’t do caffeine), and I would have a constant string of maladies. Oh, I would even note that the Lord was trying to slow me down, but “I have a lot to accomplish for the kingdom.”

When I did slow down (some), I felt guilty and lazy. I’m not doing enough for the Lord—as if my production and productivity were His measures of my value.

It wasn’t until this most recent hip surgery I truly and seriously began to look at what the Lord was really showing me: I need to take care of myself with an honest-to-goodness Sabbath’s rest. Huh? Really? “But it’s an issue of stewardship,” I would retort, “isn’t it, Lord?” 

Yes, I did preach Sabbath for years; even “practiced” it to some degree. But to actually take some time for my self to physically rest, emotionally discharge and spiritually recharge, well, I still had to move passed this idea of being lazy and stewardship. But in the Lord’s gentle way, He has be ‘nudging’ me to simply do nothing, but focus on His goodness and allow the Holy Spirit to emotionally discharge and spiritually recharge my “system”—along with this literal physical rest. I guess this is what it means when our Master says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

So I’ve been practicing leaving tasks undone. And allowing myself the freedom to have an uncompleted check list. Tomorrow has enough to worry about anyway. How about you? How is your Sabbath’s rest coming?

Main Text— Mark 2:24–28 (NIV84)— 24 The Pharisees said to [Jesus], “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” 25 He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” 27 Then He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.—Hebrews 4:11 (NIV84)

 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.—Matthew 11:28–29 (NIV84)

  Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”— Mark 6:31 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, lead me to that quiet place in and with Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Recharge my soul as I gaze upon the beauty of Your Holiness and Goodness. In Son’ s Holy Name, Amen. 

Pastor Mike