“ If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
1 John 1:8-9 NLT
I used to keep a mental highlight reel of my worst offenses. At the end of even the best day, my brain could hit the replay button, and scenes of my wrongdoings would scroll across the screen of my mind. Although I confessed those sins to God and asked for His forgiveness, I couldn’t seem to forgive myself.
Then I heard something that shook me to the core: to confess a sin, repent, and then continue to ask God’s forgiveness for it multiple times (when you aren’t repeating the sin) is a form of pride. Did I believe my sins were so enormous and unique that they were beyond His ability to forgive? Despite the magnitude of God’s mercy and of the sins I know He’d forgiven, why did I act like He couldn’t handle mine?
We see divine forgiveness in King David’s story. He didn’t recognize the scope of his sin until it was exposed to him by the prophet Nathan. David repented, then followed the Lord the rest of his days, serving and honoring Him.
God is merciful and forgives even the biggest sins when we repent and follow Him.
David could have removed himself from the narrative and wallowed in his own guilt for the rest of his life. Instead, he confessed and repented before God and then led Israel as God’s chosen king for forty years.
Once I recognized how prideful it was to believe God could forgive the sins of others but not mine, I’ve never looked at myself the same way. Our difficult experiences — both the failures and the grace that covers them — can deepen our capacity for empathy toward others.
Our darkest trials can become our greatest testimonies.
God’s grace and capacity for forgiveness are beyond comprehension. When we give in to guilt and focus too much on our role as the villain in our own life story, we forget that God is the Hero who has redeemed us.
Let’s remember that we’re covered in grace. Let’s live in the freedom of His forgiveness.
This devotion is by Dawn Camp from our favorite devotional journal, 100 Days of Strength in Any Struggle.
Here is another short devotion from the book. Enjoy this encouragement from Robin Dance:
When the World Feels Like Too Much
“I lift up my eyes to you,
to you who sit enthroned in heaven.”
Psalm 123:1 NIV
What are we to do when our world no longer makes sense? What are those who follow Jesus to do? I believe an old refrain holds the key:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.
A while back, I had the sweet privilege of serving women in my area as a leader for a community Bible study. Before we’d meet every Thursday, our leadership team began by singing this familiar chorus.
Tendering our hearts in song was effective. The things of earth — never-ending to-do lists, work deadlines, disagreements among friends, challenges with children, arguments with a spouse, health concerns, financial pressures, the clatter of politics, even some of our anxieties and feeling not enough — grow strangely dim. Our worries wither under the blaze of God’s glory.
When we focus on Jesus instead of circumstances, our circumstances may not change, but we sure do.
I know what it’s like to wander around and feel lost, to wrestle in a sea of doubt, to question beliefs you once held dear. And while I don’t know what’s going on with you personally, I know all of us are affected by what’s going on in the world.
How can we possibly handle it? We can’t. We aren’t even supposed to — that’s why we have a Savior! Isn’t that liberating?
Let’s remind one another that the gospel is good news. When we are mindful of who God is and what He has accomplished in our lives and in our world… When we trust that He is good and loves us without condition.. When we study His Word, claim His promises, and accept the forgiveness He offers… When we believe that He holds the whole world in His hands… When we turn our eyes upon Jesus…
We will find peace.
To me, focusing on Jesus isn’t just one way we can best handle a world that feels crazy. It’s the only way.
To read more devotions like these, pick up your copy of our devotional journal, 100 Days of Strength in Any Struggle. We know it will meet your heart.
I will sometimes think of past sin I’ve already confessed to God. I love Isaiah 43:25 that says “He remembers our sin no more”. His forgiveness is so amazing. Thank you for these devotionals! They encourage me in my walk with the Lord.
Sometimes forgiveness is hard to. No matter what it is. God says in Colossians 3:13″ bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another even as Christ forgave you so you must do.” How true that is. No matter if someone hurt you or did something to a Family member of yours you are so hurt by how could they have done it to your Family member. Or they did it to you or both of you. You have to do as that verse says Forgive them and not hold anything against them. Like Christ did for you with all the wrong you have done (You’re Sin). By dying on the cross for you. I found that hard to do with a Family member who hurt me and another Family member. I know they are not saved even if get saved I pray for their salvation. I know I will never get an apology from them. But I know I have done the right thing in God’s eyes by forgiving them. Yes I will never forgot what they done. But it doesn’t annoy me anymore more. I can talk to them in the love of Jesus and see them in a different light the light of Jesus. I say Amen to that. My wrong and sin don’t deserve to be forgiven. But Jesus chose to forgive my dying on the cross and shedding his blood so I could be forgiven. So to live like Jesus we have to do the same. I say Amen to that. But at the start of forgiving it not easy but with Jesus help going to him in prayer we can do it. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
Oh my goodness, I have never heard of this podcast through Dayspring Devotionals. I had lost the devotionals through them and had reached out to get some reasoning I had lost it, since I use them as part of my daily devotions everyday. They had sent me the (in)courage podcast as well as the daily devotions I had lost. I am thrilled to have listened, read, and now it’s part of my early morning devotions. I pray that my subscription continues. I’m grateful to been given this encouraging message.
Dear Dawn…….it was so nice to see your name on the devotional today, It reminded me about how I pray and is it right? I always, if I thought I did or said something wrong, stop right away and talked to God to tell Him and ask for forgiveness. Then as time went on I thought, well maybe I am saying the same thing too often to God and He may get angry with me, but I see from your words that it is not the case. I will say that I do have to ask for His forgiveness as the problems ( and there are many ) that I keep praying about is a mistake on my part as I have been waiting for 5 years now for something good to happen, but then my mind reminds me or one of the (incourage) community through your daily words remind me that God works on His own timelines and I am being too impatient, but I haven’t been able to see or even talk to my one grandchild for 4 years now since my son disowned me as his mother. My ex-husband now will not allow me to see or talk to him either. Both my son and husband blame ME for all of this and all I did was stay with my husband of 54 years to try and convince him to follow the doctors orders and stop the heavy drinking. He never did and I researched his type of dementia for 3 years and had 6 support groups who would call me every day to be sure I was safe, until I wasn’t and he tried to kill me. Then I had to do something his doctors and the police said he would get one of his guns and this time he would kill me. So, to end this, I am totally alone and have no one to help me and I am 77 years old. For the 3rd time, I am going through the Book “100 days of strength in any Struggle”. I have many of your community’s book, but I always am drawn back to this one and see how my journaling has changed since the last time I went through it. Thank you Dawn for your wonderful words today and I wish you a Blessed Week with much joy. I am so sad about the Pope’s passing so I pray for him. I am not Catholic, but I feel he was one of the most wonderful Popes we have had. He visited Philadelphia and he was just so down to earth and so kind. Love to you, Betsy Basile
Hello Dawn,
I was touched and convicted by your devotion. Thank you for writing it.
Were you a member of Victory Baptist Church in the 70’s?
God bless you, Debra