Prayers to forgive others, and yourself
Rachel Adams
Bible Reading:
“His love for those who fear him is so great, because heaven is as high as it is on earth. As long as the East came from the West, he has removed our sins from us.” – Psal sal 103:11-12
Listen or read:
I investigated deeper into the dimly lit rooms of middle and high school girls. The glow from the lights of the strings seemed to glow, but under their beauty I could see the pain in their eyes. We gathered for an Agape night – a night of fun, worship, education. I showed me a picture of myself younger, a photo of my barrel-rotten bangs and laughed together. But after I shared my testimony and the false beliefs I once had about my worth, my mood calmed down.
Each girl was given a blank canvas. I asked them to draw a cross and write down what they symbolically lay at the foot of the body. Within minutes, the once…canvas I once…was covered was almost completely. The weight of shame and sadness spilled into the black ink.
My heart was saddened as I walked around and saw what they had written. Many of their confessions reflected one another, revealing a broken common thread. But my heart was full of hope too. God was not surprised by what they confessed – he already knew. Still, he loved them.
Then came the red Sharpie. With gentle encouragement, the girls erased every word they wrote, symbolizing the purifying power of Christ’s blood. For now there was something sacred. With each red line, sin was symbolically erased, and grace was replaced by it.
Poem sal103 reminds us that when God forgives us, he will remove our sins “as long as the east is from the west.” It is not only forgiven, it is forgotten (Hebrews 8:12). We often struggle to forget about our mistakes, but God does not. His mercy invites us to stop keeping our mistakes as well as others’ scores.
Colossians 3:13 calls us to forgive when the Lord forgives us. It’s a high call. But remembering how forgiven we have been, it softens our hearts to spread our grace. Imagine we release grim, drop attacks, no longer drown the past. What does it look like to live freely from spiritual scorekeeping?
This applies not only to forgive others, but also to forgive yourself. If you can hand over the canvas and a red marker, what would you write down? What pain, sin, or shame remains? Whatever it is, God sees it. And through true repentance, he wipes it completely away.
Isaiah 1:18 offers this promise. “Your sin is like a scar color, but it will become as white as snow.” Friend, God is looking at you by covering the righteousness of Christ, not your past. You are no longer bound by what you have done or what you have done to you. You are a blank canvas cleaned by his love.
Stop keeping a record of mistakes. And if we keep the list, it may be his grace that wiped it all away.
Let’s pray:
Father, thank you for the invaluable mercy that separates my sins from me. Believe that you have completely forgiven me and stop rehearsing my past mistakes. For Christ, remind me that I am no longer defined by what I have done. It teaches me to spread the same grace to others who have hurt me. If I have someone injured, give them the courage to seek forgiveness. Let my life reflect the red love you have shown me. Calm down the accusations of the enemy and help you walk through freedom of forgiveness. May my heart be a place where your mercy is always remembered and your grace is freely given. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GetTyimages/PeopleImages
The author has come a long way, and love host Rachel Adams, who offers podcasts, hopes to help women achieve their God-given purpose and importance. She and her husband Brian live in Kentucky with their two children, Will and Kate. Her work is featured in Crosswalk, Proverb 31, Parenting Today, and Youversion. Connect with her by visiting Rachaelkadams.com, searching @RachaladamSauthor on social media, and looking for Love, who offers podcasts on your favorite listening platform every Tuesday.
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