Devotionals

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Learning To Forgive Ourselves
© 2006

by

Stephen A. Peterson


There is for most people never enough day in a day to accomplish everything that really needs to be done. There are still windows to clean, floors to sweep and mop, drawers to re-arrange and so on. Tonight when you sit down to catch yourself coming then the plethora of the “should ofs” streak across your cerebral cortex resulting in headache number______.

Now the rush of anger comes for forgetting your youngest daughter’s present. A present you crossed your heart to get her for doing so well in her first grade classes. Now really angry, you take your frustrations out on the pet pooch that can’t seem to figure out what it did wrong to warrant a kick in its rear after greeting you with overwhelming excitement just two hours earlier. You know that before your head hits the pillow; your list of regrets will outnumber your accomplishments.

“Did I really kick the dog? Why did I do that? Did I forget my daughter’s gift because I unconsciously really didn’t want to get her one in the first place? Did I not complete household tasks because I’m still passively angry at my wife for correcting me while I was engaged in fixing the kitchen sink pipes? Did I really raise my voice at my daughter because she didn’t put on her pajamas quickly enough to go to bed and get out of my hair? Thank you, Lord, for tomorrow! A chance to start over again and possibly make amends for this mistake filled day.”

It is so comforting to know that God is forgiving and all-giving. Asking God for the strength to learn from the day’s mistakes and choices and the grace to know that one does not have to make the same ones tomorrow is an awesome consideration when situations, circumstances and the urge to seek personal perfection supersedes work and efforts to glorify God. Additionally, we should pray for patience when out nerves are on edge and our tongues run array.

Mostly, though, we should thank God for forgiving our sinful behaviors. We need to realize that dirty windows are side issues but relationships; particularly our relationship with God is paramount for our faith and salvation.

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