TO THE BIBLE: 1 John 1:9
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
LET’S TALK
If indeed I’m forgiven, why am I still feeling uneasy? Maybe I need to pray more deeply, Dave thought within himself. Or perhaps I’ll feel better when I fast.
He often felt this way whenever he prayed to God for forgiveness, yet the uneasiness in him would persist for many days.
If you do something wrong and pray for forgiveness, you may not “feel” forgiven. You may have reasons to think that your prayer didn’t even go beyond the ceiling of your room. But that doesn’t mean God hasn’t forgiven you. What really matters isn’t how you feel, but what God’s Word says. Our theme scripture says the Lord is faithful and just to forgive your wrongs and cleanse you from all unrighteousness.
The fact that you feel uneasy after you pray doesn’t nullify God’s declaration. Just accept his forgiveness. Remember, He’s the one who sent Jesus to die for you in the first place. So you can trust His love. Satan may try to make you feel guilty, but he doesn’t count. The Bible says, “…resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). How do you resist him? By declaring God’s Word boldly. As you do this, you put him right under your feet where he belongs.
Go Deeper
1 John 2:1; John 3:17
Pray
Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the liberating power of your Word. I function above the deception of the devil, living every day of my life with confidence in the Word, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Act
Meditate on the words of John 3:17: “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”