I am feeling a bit like Peter today. I might even deny Christ three times.
Today, a Facebook friend said we all had regrets and suggested I may not have forgiven myself, but God had. I said, “Thanks, very insightful” or something like that and moved on. Then, a friend with flesh swings by and suggests I have fear. I said I didn’t have fear. Now, I am thinking I was wrong on both counts.
Likely, I have not forgiven myself for all the pain I have caused others from my business collapse and I am probably fearful of failure in the future. That pretty well makes it 2 for 3 with Peter rowing the boat.
So now I am praying God will reveal to me what it means to forgive oneself and think it is probably time to get out of the boat. Jesus already told me to get out of the boat, but I have been just checking the water. Don’t want to fail you know…
“Dude! Just get out of the boat!”~Jesus
God Spots 
Archie, how well I can relate to what you are saying. How many times my sisters in Christ have told me God has forgiven you, Vickie, you must forgive yourself. That is the hardest thing. Still am not there – don’t know that I ever will be. Sometimes the what ifs and pain are so overwhelming. Just hope that someday I can help someone else and keep them from making the mistakes I have made.
Merry Christmas, Archie, and much love to you and the family.
Sometimes it helps to get out of the boat and follow God’s prompting. While you are “doing”, you realize that you feel the forgiveness that God has extended to you. Get out of the boat Archie!
I really need to think on this whole issue of forgiving oneself. I’d like to hear more from friends in blog world…
as i read your post–i am pondering between forgiving myself and forgetting what it was–guess i look at it as you can forgive someone–but it is hard to forget whta they did–same here for me–i too struggle with forgiving myself alot–but i guess i struggle more with forgetting what i did–where is the line drawn between the 2??
I am open to correction, but it seems to me we can appreciate what Jesus did for us on the cross for an instant or for a longer period of time and in His love and forgiveness, forgive ourselves. In the next instant we lose sight of the cross and once again lose sight of his love and our forgiveness.
So it seems to me, there requires a retraining of our thoughts to constantly refocus on the love shown by Jesus on the cross. We need to accept His forgiveness, which cleanses of us of a need to forgive ourselves and we become a vessel in which Christ can work to fulfill His good will and purpose.
So when the negative thoughts come, I know they are not from God. They are from the evil one, meant to cripple me in my life with Christ. I consciously say, “In the name of Jesus, to hell with you satan. I choose to think and live for Christ.”
Then, I take the next step in the power of the Holy Spirit. Yeah. I think that will work!