“I forgive you” are some of the most precious words we can ever hear. They are a very large step in our reconciliation process with the people whom we have hurt. Hearing these words is not the only step, however. We have to accept that forgiveness. We have to live like we have been forgiven. After all, if we continue believing that the person we have offended is still angry and does not want to have a relationship with us, true reconciliation has not happened. On a similar note, Scripture teaches us the importance of accepting the forgiveness of God. If we have placed our faith in Christ and we want to grow in our relationship with Him, we have to live like we have been forgiven. “Forgiven” must become part of our identities if we want to have thriving relationships with God in 2023.
David reflected on God’s forgiveness and how it impacted his identity in Psalms 103. He began this Psalm by praising God. “Let all that I am praise the Lord,” He wrote (verse 1). The rest of the Psalm includes all of the things that David was praising God for. “He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases,” David wrote (verse 3). He rejoiced because He knew that God forgave Him for all of His sins. As a result, God did not hold his sins against him anymore. As He praised God in this Psalm, he continued to praise God for His forgiveness of sins. “He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west,” David wrote. This statement was another way of saying that his sins were removed from him as far as they could possibly be. What a gift and act of kindness from God!
Because of Jesus, we are forgiven. In fact, each one of our sins are removed far away from us. As a result, we are no longer defined by our sin. We are defined by Christ’s forgiveness that He offers. We are forgiven and restored in our relationship with God that was broken by our sin. Praise God for His kindness and for the forgiveness that is found in Him!
Spend time writing out a prayer of gratitude to God, much like David did in this Psalm. Thank Him that He loves you and desires a relationship with you so much that He extends unlimited forgiveness to us when we turn to Him. Thank Him that because of Him and His forgiveness, you have a restored relationship with Him. Next, ask Him to help you to always live like you have been forgiven, free from guilt and shame and a restored relationship with Him.
"Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
2 Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
3 He forgives all my sins
and heals all my diseases.
4 He redeems me from death
and crowns me with love and tender mercies.
5 He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
6 The Lord gives righteousness
and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
7 He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is compassionate and merciful,
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
9 He will not constantly accuse us,
nor remain angry forever.
10 He does not punish us for all our sins;
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
11 For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
12 He has removed our sins as far from us
as the east is from the west.
13 The Lord is like a father to his children,
tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
14 For he knows how weak we are;
he remembers we are only dust.
15 Our days on earth are like grass;
like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
16 The wind blows, and we are gone—
as though we had never been here.
17 But the love of the Lord remains forever
with those who fear him.
His salvation extends to the children’s children
18 of those who are faithful to his covenant,
of those who obey his commandments!
19 The Lord has made the heavens his throne;
from there he rules over everything.
20 Praise the Lord, you angels,
you mighty ones who carry out his plans,
listening for each of his commands.
21 Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels
who serve him and do his will!
22 Praise the Lord, everything he has created,
everything in all his kingdom.
Let all that I am praise the Lord."
