My daughter hit a little boy and refused to ask him to forgive her.
The incident happened while I was volunteering at my daughter’s school. Her teacher informed me, and I went to the classroom to talk to my daughter.
“Did you hit the little boy?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. But when I told her to ask the little boy to forgive her, she hung her head and said, “No.”
Talking to my daughter, I realized she knew she had done wrong. However, she did not want to ask for forgiveness because of the guilt and shame that came with it. Then I realized how I, too, have wanted to run from feelings of guilt and shame of my sins by ignoring them.
In confession, we find freedom, as John notes. It is not in knowing we sin but in confessing our sins. I told my daughter how Jesus Christ came and took her punishment on the cross, but the only way He could take her punishment was for her to say, “Forgive me.” By acknowledging her guilt with that request, Jesus’s death on the cross would be her punishment. Otherwise, she would have to take the punishment for her actions.
She quickly walked over to the little boy with tears coming down her face and said, “Forgive me for hitting you.” The little boy said, “Okay” and asked her to play.
You may want to forget about your sin because you hate the guilt and the shame you feel, but the only way you can be free of your sin is to confess it. When we come to God, He stands with His arms opened wide, ready to forgive and to cleanse us from all our sins. But we must come and admit our sin by accepting Jesus’ payment. By His blood, we are cleansed from all unrighteousness.
The next time you know you have sinned, run to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Melanie, I love the message in this. Also how delightful to be "as little children" and let go of guilt and anger once forgiveness enters.