Have you ever done something ‘unforgiveable’? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you didn’t deserve forgiveness? Have you acted in a way you’re not proud of?
I was talking with a friend recently who was explaining a situation and said they felt they didn’t deserve forgiveness but was sure they would be given it so didn’t want to ask. (To clarify, my friend hadn’t done anything terrible, but sometimes our view is skewed by our own perception). It got me thinking. If I look back on my own story, there are things I’ve not proud of. I have said in the past “they shouldn’t have forgiven me”. I have felt like I didn’t deserve forgiveness.
That’s the funny thing about grace. It’s not about what we deserve. In fact, it’s the complete opposite. Grace is undeserved. God does care when we do something wrong, of course he does. But he doesn’t care about the action per say. He cares about what led to that action. What scar or hurt has led you to that point? On the Christian course I did, DNA, they had a saying: a legitimate need met in an illegitimate way.
What they mean is that how we feel is very real. Maybe we need to be loved, maybe we need a bit of an escape, maybe we need to let off steam – whatever the need, there are multiple ways to meet that need. But not all of them are helpful and healthy. But dealing with the behaviour, the ‘sin’ if you like, is just dealing with the fruit. God cares about the root, the thing inside that means you feel like you need to behave in that way.
Grace has already dealt with the action, Jesus was crucified for all our sins and we are forgiven. We can move past the beating ourselves up part, past the part where we feel like we’re unforgivable. God’s grace doesn’t care about the action, it cares about the person. You will always be forgiven if you say sorry (and mean it). God wants to acknowledge that legitimate need inside, to heal the hurt caused or to give the break you need. He cares about the what, but he cares more about the why.
Is there an area you feel unforgivable? Are there things you do/have done that cause you shame? Take them to God, receive his grace and forgiveness and let him uncover the root, let him begin to mend the ‘why’.
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