Forgiveness of Self

.Mention that a mens group will be starting in a couple of weeks!! details to come soon

. Last Wednesday we spoke about the cost of unforgivness in our lives, that holding onto unforgiveness causes us to miss out on opportunities that God has for us, we shared these four points

1. Un-forgiveness clouds the judgment of not only the one who harbors it but also on the people that person speaks to, which means that the pain of unforgivness can actually be passed onto those around us!

2. Unforgivness causes us to not see the full potential of a situation or opportunity, because out mind is focused only on ‘getting even’

3. Unforgivness stops us form being able to see what God is wanting to do in our lives, because all we think about is what we wish God would do to that person who ‘hurt us’

4. Unforgivness also causes us to say NO to opportunity's God is giving to us, because we don't want to be near or work with that person who wronged us.

. unforgiveness robs you of your past, the present and your future (expand)

.Tonight i want to talk to you about a different kind of un-forgiveness, and that is the unforgiveness we hold against ourselves.

. Forgiving other people can be and is very difficult at times as we touched on last week, but granting forgiveness to ourselves is a whole different thing.

. This can be because we feel like we should of known better, we feel like we are better than the mistakes we made. a lot of the time we can be our own harshest critic.

Mark 14:27–31 NKJV

Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep will be scattered.’ “But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be.” Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” But he spoke more vehemently, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise.

.It goes form this into the Jesus being taken away and Peter denying Jesus 3 times before the rooster crows twice. Peter failed to live up to a standard he put upon himself!

. The reason i shared this scripture is because i believe this shows us the beginning point of a journey that Peter (and perhaps the other disciples as well?) had to go on and learn to forgive himself so that he could again be effective for the kingdom of God in the calling that had been placed on his life.

. When we hold un-forgiveness against ourselves it hinders us in the same ways we shared about last week concerning un-forgiveness toward others.

. but i think there is also another way un-forgiveness toward self holds us back!

. and that is that we can know and see the things God has for us to do, we may even know the details of the calling he has given to us, but we feel inadequacy and unworthiness because of what we know we did that we refuse to forgive our self for.

. Its not being willing to take the step of faith we need to, because we believe our mistake has cost us the opportunity that God has for us!

. This next verse comes from mark 16 and is Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Salome go to the tomb of Jesus to anoint his body, the stone is rolled away and an angel speak to them about the resurrection of Jesus

Mark 16:7 NKJV

But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

.”Go, tell his disciples - and Peter”

. This says a couple of things to me, firstly that Peter had know discounted himself as being on value to the kingdom of God, he felt like a failure because he had not lived up to the standard he had set for himself!

. remember Jesus had told them that they would all abandon him that night (and they did)

. Peter no longer considered himself worthy of the calling, and was unable to forgive himself for doing the very thing he had said he would not do.

. Secondly, God through the angel/messenger was reaching out to Peter specifically, letting him know that in his eyes Peter is forgiven and his calling still awaits him.

. Peter was tormenting himself with un-forgiveness because of his failure and disloyalty.

.”one of the most precious things about Jesus is the way he trusts us on the field of our defeat”

. move with me know to John 21, Peter and some of the other disciples are fishing on the sea of Tiberias, Peter had gone back to doing what he had done before he was called by Jesus.

. His inability to forgive himself lead him to go back to the only thing he know believed he was able to do.

. Then Jesus shows up after they had been out fishing all night catching nothing, and invites them to sit with him and have breakfast, that he had already prepared.

. with all these people there Jesus turns his attention to Peter

John 21:15–17 NKJV

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

. Jesus is calling Peter back to following him, calling him back into the calling that Peter was unable to believe he was able to do because he harbored unforgivness towards himself!

. Jesus is teaching Peter to forgive himself for his mistakes and failures, and teaching us that that our inability to forgive ourselves hinders our ability to move forward and believe we can still do the things God has called us to.

Philippians 3:13 NKJV

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,

Psalm 32:5 NKJV

I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah

Psalm 103:10–11 NKJV

He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;

PRAY!