In Episode 12 of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith offers a glorious thought on the power of forgiveness. The reason we should forgive is to be healed and the means of understanding that is that we are forgiven in Christ. The Apostle Paul instructed the church in Colossae to forgive one another as Christ has forgiven you. Sometimes this is easier said than done. People slight us, harm us, overlook us, under-appreciate us, abuse us – both verbally and physically. Our response is typically retaliation, anger, resentment, even hate. There’s one person in particular that we especially struggle forgiving – ourselves. We justify a lack of forgiveness for ourselves, but that’s not helpful. We have to also forgive ourselves, as Christ as forgiven us.

C.S. Lewis said, “If I fail to forgive myself, I make myself a higher tribunal than God.” Wow! There’s a prayer practice by Linda Schubert that focuses on forgiving ourselves called The Miracle Hour.

Here’s the prayer: “Loving Father, I choose to forgive myself because you have forgiven me. Thanks you Lord for this grace, I forgive myself for all my sins faults and failings, especially (fill in the blank). I forgive myself for not being perfect, I accept myself and make a decision to stop picking on myself and being my own worst enemy. I release the things held against myself and make peace with myself by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Why do we forgive? We forgive because it’s the way to freedom.

Key verses include Colossians 3:13

Related episodes:

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