Get Rid of Guilt! Forgive Yourself

I have high expectations for myself. I always have. And frankly, when I fail to meet these expectations, I beat myself up for it. I hold myself to a high standard and it becomes detrimental when I make mistakes because I disappoint myself. To be honest, I'm always going to make mistakes. The sad thing is, I'm striving for a perfection I will never reach. This is because I'm trying on my own to do something that I can never do. In my own strength, I'll never be able to be that perfect woman, perfect daughter, perfect sister and perfect friend. 

This is why I'm so thankful for the hope I have. Because if the story ended here, that would be very sad. But what I'm learning is that I have to forgive myself. Our mistakes do not define who we are. If you tell a lie, you're not a liar. You walk in the light and truth of God (John 8:12). If you have an argument with a friend, you're not a bad friend. You many have done something wrong, but don't let it keep you down (Proverbs 24:16). You're still a reliable friend, a good sister, and a courageous leader. 

This is the first step in getting rid of the guilt that is kept in our hearts after making mistakes. Know the truth! Forgiving yourself is loving yourself. We must first go to God and ask for forgiveness just as it says in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." When we apologize to God, he accepts it every time.  We can't dwell on the negative feelings and thoughts that come to our minds. That's a very dangerous place to be. Instead, we must "demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" as it says in 2 Corinthians 10:5. Keep a positive mindset of yourself. Make the decision to let go of your past because God has already forgotten it. So who are you to hold yourself back! 

One thing I've been learning about is letting God define me. If you let God tell you who you are, whatever happens you can rest in that. So, when I want to point out all my flaws, I can be reminded of what God has already said concerning me. He says I am forgiven. I am loved. I am a co-heir with Christ. I have grace. And that it what I need to keep my confidence in.

We are all imperfect but God is able to blot out all our sins and wash us clean. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). If you're like me and tend to criticize yourself, the best thing you can do is understand Gods love for you. He loves us because He is love. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us any more or any less. His love will always be for you. For the person that you are in this very moment. In your sin He died for you. There is no greater love than this! It’s hard for us to understand this love because it’s not human love. There's no one on this earth who can love us the way God does. And that gives me security. Because I know that NO MATTER WHAT, I have Jesus and I have His love. 

Remember this: it’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay that you're not perfect. You're a work in progress. You're growing. Forgive yourself. Philippians 1:6 says, to be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Stay Blessed!!

Elena Asks.