Forgive Yourself - You Are Only Human (Letting Go - Part II)

Mistakes – we’ve all made them. After all, we’re human beings. I used to tell my kids that if they ever reached a point where they made no mistakes, then we should call Oprah and get a spot on her show. What is important is learning from the mistakes and not repeating them over and over. But mistakes, especially in our personal lives, tend to hang around like that pesky bug-repellant resistant gnat on a warm spring evening.

You can’t move on with your life while you are still beating yourself up about the past. That’s why self-forgiveness is such a vital part of letting go. You cannot begin to forgive others until you forgive yourself.

Forgiving yourself doesn’t mean that you refuse to accept responsibility for your actions, behavior, etc. In reality you’ve probably taken more responsibility than is necessary for some of the things you’ve done. We are our own worse critics. How many times have you said to yourself “How could I be so stupid?” or “What the heck was I thinking?” On any given day, I could count at least 30 times. But it’s different – it’s usually just inane day to day things that are quickly forgotten. They don’t wrap you up in an emotional bodycast like issues involving you personal life.

Unfortunately there is no quick-fix for self-forgiveness. It’s truly hard. I think it’s harder to forgive yourself than it is to forgive someone else. Self-forgiveness is NOT a sign of weakness – it takes courage and strength. It moves you from the victim to the conqueror. It is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself.

There are all kinds of 5 step “programs” and self help books about forgiving yourself. But what truly helped me was The Book – and a lot of prayer. You should do whatever works for you but I can’t recommend anything better than help from God.

If you are truly wanting to move forward and forgive yourself, the following prayer will help you get on your way…

Dear Heavenly Father, I understand that there is nothing to gain by holding myself in unforgiveness and there is everything to gain by releasing myself from unforgiveness and beginning the process of healing. I want to move forward and make a positive difference in the future. Because Jesus died for my sins, I choose to forgive myself – to no longer punish myself and be angry with myself. I forgive myself for letting this hurt control me and for hurting others out of my hurt. I repent of this behavior and my attitude. I ask for Your forgiveness and healing. God help me to never again retain unforgiveness of myself or others. Thank you for loving me and for Your grace to move forward with You. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

My brother and sister-in-law gave me a plaque with the following message... "It's not where you've been that counts, it's where you're going".  Don’t let the regrets of your past hold you down. Let go of the regrets and move on with your life. There is a future out there just for you. 

Release the past by letting go of the regrets - It is impossible to inhale fresh air until you exhale the old.