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Worship Wilson: Forgiveness is best gift we give ourselves




Seifert

Seifert

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” writes David in the psalms, the song book of the Bible. (Psalm 51:10)

Remorse has filled him. Why? Because he was confronted his own failure through “the prophet Nathan … after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.”

Remorse is a terrible feeling. It made sense that David would go to God desperately seeking forgiveness and renewal. Where else could he go with such heavy guilt?

Lent, only a few weeks away, is meant to help people prepare spiritually to celebrate Easter. Praying, studying the Bible, fasting and giving to the poor, remind people that we human beings are mortal and frail; that we make mistakes and are in need of God’s saving grace.

God has power to make our hearts clean. We can’t do it for ourselves. But we can meet God part way. We can make ourselves available to God in prayer.

During Lent some people add new special devotions and some people fast in some way, giving up meals or luxuries, in order to give to those in need. Fasting also provides time to read Scripture and pray over lunch hour, for instance.

Going without food also reminds us that we are not superhuman. What? No breakfast and you are distracted and feeling weak? Our stomachs are alarm clocks, reminding us to talk to God “without ceasing” as Paul wrote.

God has power to make our hearts clean.

Guilt is something all human beings experience in greater and lesser degrees. Guilt is feeling grieved about something one has done or not done. Guilt sometimes triggers such powerfully bad feelings that make people lose hope or become reckless or relapse into addictive behaviors.

But there is a way out. Receiving the forgiveness God offers you and then, forgiving yourself.

Forgiveness, forgiving oneself, is the only way to get through. The forgiveness of God is born out of grace- an active expression of God’s love. If forgiveness is a grace gift, how do we receive it?

1. Acknowledge our need for forgiveness rather than deny it.

2. Admit to God wrongs that need to be forgiven.

3. Accept the forgiveness that is offered. Believe that God will and has forgiven us.

Forgiveness is giving up all hope for a better past.

Forgiveness of self leads us join with David and pray, “create in me a clean heart O God”.

The Rev. Cynthia Seifert has served at Episcopal Church of the Epiphany on Hickory Ridge Road and South Hartmann in Lebanon since 2019. “Worship Wilson” is a weekly column written by clergy and people of faith in Wilson County.

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