Matthew 3:2
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Are you asking for forgiveness?
Believers have shared a lot about why you should repent. God is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), forgive me as I forgive others (Matthew 6:14), etc. Are there times when you don’t want to say, “I’m sorry”? If so, what do you do? Do you remember what you were taught to do? Do you think about the times when you wanted forgiveness and will probably want it again? Do you want God to forgive you thinking unforgiveness will keep Him from forgiving you, and you won’t go to heaven? However you answer those questions, you are the focus; what you want, what you feel, what you need. Here is a perspective that is worth thinking about.
Is saying the words “I’m sorry, or forgive me” causing you issue? It could very well be you did nothing “you feel” you should be sorry for. But that does not fix the problem. Shouldn’t dealing with the issue and owning your part in it be about who God is?
Matthew 5:23-24 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. (New King James Version NKJV)
It could be you acted or spoke intentionally. You could have been misunderstood or misinterpreted. It does not matter whether you feel you have done anything that requires forgiveness or not, you may have. Only a conversation, with the one who has something against you, will clear that up. To reconcile, you may have to admit what you did or said was wrong.
James 4:17 So if you know the right way to live and ignore it, it is sin—plain and simple. (The Voice TVT)
God does not look on sin, no flesh can be in His presence. The only way He can see you is through the blood of His Son, Jesus, because you have repented. You can make “legitimate” excuses for your behavior. Just remember, if you excuse yourself, you have no need for God to do it. That is a scary place to be in. When you make provision for your flesh, you place yourself outside of the presence of God.
Proverbs 28:13 Whoever tries to hide his sins will not succeed, but the one who confesses his sins and leaves them behind will find mercy. (The Voice TVT)
Can you really afford to live there? David pleaded with God not to banish him from His presence.
Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. (KJV)
When you see God for who He is, Holy, Majestic, Omniscient, Alpha and Omega; you know you don’t deserve to be in His presence. He is willing. Do what you need to do to. Take advantage of the fact that He wants to spend time with you. Make your decision about Him and not about you.
Please agree with me as I pray:
Father, I thank You for showing me, asking for forgiveness is about my relationship with You. I never thought about it that way before. I repent for making every situation about me and what I felt. You have taught me; it doesn’t matter if I think I had a good reason for doing what I did or saying what I said. Your word says if I think my brother or sister has an ought against me; I should go to them. It is not contingent upon who I am or who they are; it is all about You. I don’t want to leave my gift. I want to bring it to the altar and You receive it. I don’t want anything to keep me from being in Your presence. I don’t want to be sorry because I got caught and confronted by the Holy Spirit. I will gladly apologize to whomever I need to apologize to. Not out of vanity or to make myself look like the “bigger person,” I will apologize simply because I need to, and I love You…
Ask the Lord what He wants to say to you about today’s devotional and journal His response as described here.
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