Will God Forgive Me?
Scripture: “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.’ (NRSVUE)
Affirm: The God in me frees and forgives me as I freely forgive myself and others. Dear Prosperity Partners and Friends,
I pray that the series, ‘Forgive Us Our Debts’ has inspired you to release, let go and let God. Having done so, I know that you are living a happier, healthier, and more prosperous life. When we live in the ‘Let Go’ we make room for ‘More and More’ of what matters in life. When we release, we find that what we held so tightly, releases us. When we say ‘No more’ we find the ‘Yes, there’s more’ that has been seeking us all along.
Sunday’s sermon reminded us that even though we have been conditioned to believe that God records the error of our ways and then holds those errors against us, the truth is: ‘Nothing you could do is so grievous as to cast God away from you.’ Dr. Mary A. Tumpkin, Before You Pray, Forgive. God loves you and God is love and nothing will ever change God’s nature or God’s love for creation.
Major Points:
- God is love. ‘God does not hold less than love for you no matter what you have done or haven’t done, because God is love.’ Eric Butterworth, Discover the Power Within, pg.150
God’s love is intricately woven into the fabric of your being. You are love in expression because God made you that way. When we forget our true nature, our spiritual nature, our loving nature, we act in ways that make it appear that love is far away from us. The good news is that we can create ‘triggers’ in our life that remind us that we are not the errors we have committed or words we have said or failed to say. We are God’s creation—all the time.
- Like the Prodigal Son, ‘[t]he moment I come to myself, know the Truth of my innate divinity, my divine [heritage], in that moment… I am transformed. I am forgiven because I have forgiven myself.’ Butterworth, pgs. 152-153
The stench and lack of edible food in a pig pen, served as a ‘trigger’ to the Prodigal Son that he was more than what he had done; more than his dis-respect of his father; and more than the riotous lifestyle he lived. Having been ‘triggered’, he realized that he could put an end to his misery. Yes, the power was in his hands to change his circumstances. May we be triggered to also understand that things change when we change.
- ‘You can express more love, more understanding and in this way release the positive power of the Spirit that cleanses you–but it is the result of what you have done.’ [Not what God has done.] God can do no more for you than…[what can be done] through you.’ Butterworth, pg. 153
Quotes to Ponder:
‘God is love and [God] can only love you when you love. If you want forgiveness, you must express forgiveness. There is no other way.’
Dr. Mary Tumpkin’s, Before You Pray Forgive, pg.
Let’s Pray:
God of Creation,
Thanks for your unconditional love that is such a blessing to me. As I embrace Your love, all else fades. I choose to be whole and therefore let go of all that makes me feel broken, hurt, and separated from You. I live and have my being in Your love, and I am forgiven because I forgive. Amen.
