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sheep wrecked · 12-17-2009, 04:58 PM

(12-17-2009 01:54 PM)YYZ Skinhead Wrote: Dredge and Sheep, thank both of you for posting. Dredge, I too have trouble forgiving myself even for sins I did twenty-five years ago. I sinned especially against my parents and younger brother, but against lots of other people too, and most of those sins involved revenge, jealousy or anger. Now that I realize that I've sinned against all those people I can't forgive myself. People have tried to be friendly toward me and I responded with anger. I have been begging God to let me find the people I was cruel to (my parents are both dead) so I can apologize to them and humbly ask their forgiveness. People reading this, please pray that I will be able to find these people so I can do this.

Have you ever thought that maybe it's that you can't accept forgiveness from God? I have gone through that issue many times. The thing that really changed how I viewed myself is knowing and accepting how God views me.

I love how Jesus so clearly shows the love of God for His kids in the parable of the prodigal son. He committed terrible sins, but came back to His Father to become a servant and instead was greeted with wide open arms and lifted up to a place of honor. We are the righteousness of God in Christ. He sees us through Jesus, not because of our sin any more, but because He bore our sin and it will never again be counted against us 47b20s0

I think all of us have sinned against people our whole lives. Sometimes we get the opportunity to ask for forgiveness from them, but most of the time, we never get that chance and must move forward in Christ. Paul committed the most heinous crime - he had people murdered for their belief in Christ, yet not once do we read that he went back and asked for forgiveness from the families. Something to think about Smile

Quote:Sheep, thank you for posting those verses from Romans. I remembered Paul had written them but I couldn't remember the book. Especially this verse:

Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

That sums it all up. I am tired of sinning. Does every believer with habitual sins have to endure this?

These two passages are especially significant too:

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
Rom 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Phi 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

I am familiar with the passage from Romans because it is listed in God Is In Control on this site. My mom used to quote the verse from Philippians when I was a kid. Both of them offer hope, which always helps.

Many believers do have habitual sin and suffer as you do with their past addictions and to overcome them. We all have to deal with sin and the desire to leave it all behind. The battle with our flesh is extreme and on going. I just pray every day that God has mercy on me and gives me the strength to resist.

Have you ever tried to find a support group of Christians who have a past similar to yours? Sometimes it helps to be the company of others for encouragement - someone to call or go to when temptations become overwhelming.