PSALM 130:1-4 – Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.

THEME OF THE DAY. SEEKING HELP AND UNDERSTANDING FORGIVENESS. It was Sunday night and our evening service was about to begin. As I entered our sanctuary, I saw some members of our church engaging what appeared to be a visiting family of five. As I approached the small crowd, someone said, “There’s our pastor” and I positioned myself to greet these visitors. Yes, it was a family of five and I was introduced to all. I welcomed them and the father/husband looked at me and said, “Could I talk to you?” I replied, “The service is about a minute or two from starting.” Before I could extend the invitation to meet afterwards, the wife/mother spoke up, “Maybe we can talk after the service?” I quickly answered, “Absolutely” and proceeded to start the service.

During the entire worship hour, I would make eye contact with this visiting family. Everyone was engaged. There seemed to be a hunger, an eagerness for the things of God. The service ended and the father/husband made his way up front. He looked at me with a face of sadness, discouragement, but sincerity. He said, “Pastor, I am depressed, sad, and feel like such a failure. I have not been the best father or husband. I don’t know how to get over my failed sinful past. I cannot forgive myself.” He added quickly, “I am saved. I am a Christian but have been away from the Lord for a good while. It has impacted my family in a bad way. Can you help me?”

This is not a fabricated account making for a good illustration. It really happened. As I share this story, there are some important lessons for us. One is from the action of the man representing his family who sought our church out. The other is about the forgiveness of God.

First, the lesson from the man. He was in trouble spiritually and knew it. What did he do? He sought help at a place he assumed was Bible-based. What he didn’t do was let pride keep him from seeking spiritual help. Pay attention. He did not know a single person in our church. He had never met me before but was willing to pour out his soul and seek spiritual help. Friends, we cannot do the Christian life alone. We cannot “fix ourselves” spiritually. God has given other Christians and particularly His church to be the primary place of spiritual healing in His spiritually ill children. Learn from my new friend and seek Biblical help in other Christians and church. Don’t let pride keep us from repentance and restoration.

The second lesson is about the forgiveness of God. Remember what my new friend said, “Pastor, I cannot forgive myself.” I looked at him and said, “I can help you with that. The Bible nowhere tells us to forgive ourselves so don’t try to do what is neither commanded or instructed.” He looked at me surprised. Perhaps maybe some of you reading this nugget are also surprised about the silence of the Bible on forgiving ourselves. We may have heard this preached or read it in a book, but we won’t find it in God’s Book. There is no forgiving oneself. We receive forgiveness from others and God. We also give forgiveness to others but forgiving oneself is a foreign concept in the scriptures.

We talked more into the evening and I believe the man and his family left encouraged. There was the promise of future meetings and attendance in church. I look forward to those times. Little does my new friend know, but he reminded me of an important lesson about transparency and healing. Hopefully, he was helped some in our meeting too.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for forgiving me all my sins and never again holding them against me.”

QUOTE: “Forgiveness isn’t a feeling. It is a declaration but it will lead to feelings of ‘burdens lifted’.”