Asking for forgiveness from God is a powerful and liberating experience. We find comfort and redemption in God's love, and seeking forgiveness is crucial for our spiritual growth. But how do we do it? What are the right steps to confessing our mistakes to God? Let's learn from what the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy tell us.
1. Confessing and Leaving Our Sins
The first step in seeking forgiveness is admitting and stopping our wrongdoings. Proverbs 28:13 says, " He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.” In other words, if you hide your sins, you will not succeed in receiving forgiveness. If you confess and depart from them, you will receive mercy. This is so connected with 1 John 1:9, " But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” This means that if we tell God our sins, we can always trust Him to forgive us and take our sins away. In other words, we need to admit our mistakes and seek the supernatural help of the Holy Spirit to avoid repeating them.
2. Giving Up Completely
Asking for forgiveness isn't just saying sorry. It's about truly changing our hearts. As it says in Selected Message volume 1, “God requires the entire surrender of the heart, before justification can take place; and in order for man to retain justification, there must be continual obedience, through active, living faith that works by love and purifies the soul.” In other words, before God can forgive us, we must give Him our whole hearts.
3. Making Things Right with God and Others
Sometimes, our mistakes hurt not only our relationship with God but also others. In those cases, we need to make up for what we've done wrong and ask those we've hurt for forgiveness. Usually, when we hurt someone, we just cover up our sins with missionary work or good works. We don't ask forgiveness. Ellen G. White talks about her book The Desire of Ages, saying we must admit our mistakes and make things right if we can. "If we have injured others through any unjust business transaction, . . we should confess our wrong, and make restitution as far as lies in our power." DA 556. This is the most important step many are afraid and ashamed to do. But remember, the coward cannot go to heaven. "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death." Revelation 21:8 (NIV). So it is really crucial to make things right with Others. Because confessing our sins isn't just between us and God. We also need to apologize to those we've hurt. We should be sincere and humble when we ask for their forgiveness. This helps us build better relationships and brings us closer to God. "If there have been difficulties, . . . if envy, malice, bitterness, evil surmisings, have existed, confess these sins, not in a general way, but go to your brethren and sisters personally. Be definite. If you have committed one wrong and they twenty, confess that one as though you were the chief offender. Take them by the hand, let your heart soften under the influence of the Spirit of God, and say, 'Will you forgive me?'" There is too much coldness and indifference—too much of the “I don't care” spirit—exercised among the professed followers of Christ. All should feel a care for one another, jealousy guarding each other's interests. “Love one another.” I have not felt right toward you. I want to make right every wrong, that naught may stand registered against me in the books of heaven. I must have a clean record.” OHC 370
4. No Excuses, No Hiding
We shouldn't try to excuse or hide our mistakes. "The Great Controversy" warns us that by justifying or ignoring our sins, we will be overcome or controlled by Satan. “Satan leads many to believe that God will overlook their unfaithfulness in the minor affairs of life; but the Lord shows in His dealings with Jacob that He will in no wise sanction or tolerate evil. All who endeavor to excuse or conceal their sins, and permit them to remain upon the books of heaven, unconfessed and unforgiven, will be overcome by Satan.” GC 620 We should be honest and humble, asking God and others for forgiveness.
5. Feeling Sorry
When we sin, we feel guilty. This is the Holy Spirit reminding us to ask for forgiveness. It's important to listen to this feeling and be sorry for what we've done wrong. Because when we sin, the Holy Spirit will convict and remind us, "The guilty know just what sins to confess that their souls may be clean before God." 1T 156. It’s good that there is a torturous feeling inside of us when we sin. And sometimes you cannot sleep peacefully. Feeling guilty helps us confess our sins and feel cleansed.
To sum up, asking God for forgiveness means admitting our mistakes, truly changing our hearts, making up for what we've done wrong, and being honest with God and others. I understand that you might be starting to worry about your past mistakes and sins. Perhaps you hurt someone in the past and didn't apologize. Humanly speaking, it may seem impossible for you to do so because you're concerned about saving face. Now, let us ask the Holy Spirit to take full control of us so that it becomes possible for you to follow these steps, trusting in God's love and mercy to make us true children of His.
Sulad Jhun Cardeinte writes from Thailand. His email address acardeinte@aiias.edu .
To read the previous blog articles, go to SULADS Thailand website and click blog section. Direct link below; https://www.suladsthailand.com/blog-1/
Write a comment
Wilfred Kalapa (Monday, 11 March 2024 17:30)
True forgiveness
Jesrel (Monday, 11 March 2024 17:33)
Thank you for being teach for forgiveness
Maxwell Kure (Monday, 11 March 2024 17:34)
Best articulate piece. I fins this message noteworthy.
Thank you for sharing. Lord will bless you to share more in his worthy courses.
Kennedy (Monday, 11 March 2024 17:42)
I still struggle with confessing and letting go of my sinful practices, and now this had helped me to know and trust that God still cares and that confession always comes from the heart ♥. Letting go of our sinful practices always helps with not repeating them.. Thank you and God Bless you all���
edamar (Monday, 11 March 2024 18:06)
praise God wonderful message
Edwina (Monday, 11 March 2024 18:20)
I am really happy to share every messages I read here..My faith to Jesus grows more every day..God Bless you!�
Dellie (Monday, 11 March 2024 18:29)
I am truly blessed by this inspiring massage. Thankyou very much.
Alemar Claves (Monday, 11 March 2024 18:37)
Glory to God Pastor, the. Message are very wonderful and comforting message to the soul. Pastor can I ask for a prayer request for my journey and my family.
Alemar Claves (Monday, 11 March 2024 18:40)
Thank you so much for the wonderful message Pastor Jhun.
Roncy Maepioh (Monday, 11 March 2024 18:47)
Heart touching indeed. It reminded me that there is comfort and redemption in Gods love. We ought to surrender ourselves fully to God by letting go of our sinfulness. Inviting the Holy Spirit to take full control.
Jovelyn (Monday, 11 March 2024 18:51)
Thank you for the wonderful reminder.
Uybad Elsie (Monday, 11 March 2024 18:53)
Thank you for this beautiful message I've learned a lot.
Dagim Seifu (Monday, 11 March 2024 19:02)
Thank you for this beautiful message I have learn a lot!
I'll would like to ask to have devotion every morning the updated one.
Thanks!
Perwell wanyonyi (Monday, 11 March 2024 19:26)
Amen
So we should now leave our sinful ways for salvation today.
Perwell wanyonyi (Monday, 11 March 2024 19:27)
Am very happy and blessed
Juanita Kapat (Monday, 11 March 2024 19:36)
Thank you for the massage. I'm blessed.
Tendai Gwewo (Monday, 11 March 2024 19:44)
Thanks so much for such an important lesson and message that has reassured me of God's love and grace towards a sinner like me.
Moses KARNHICK (Monday, 11 March 2024 20:02)
A truly wonderful message that we all must adhere to for the forgiveness of our sins and to make ourselves right with God and our neighbors � ❤️
Mathews Naphazi (Monday, 11 March 2024 20:35)
Thanks you have helped Me.Amen.
Yoseph (Monday, 11 March 2024 20:46)
Thank you for this wonderful message
Humba (Monday, 11 March 2024 21:08)
Thanks so much with a powerful presentation that brings us closer to Him....
Amanda (Monday, 11 March 2024 21:18)
Thank you Pastor, may we always humble ourselves and seek His forgiveness in prayer.
Pastor, may I ask you and everyone reading this to pray for my husband and son, they are in serious trouble.
Thank you for the messages, I eagerly await my phone to announce the next message. May God be with us all.
Michael (Monday, 11 March 2024 21:30)
Thankyou pastor, for making clear some of the things which I need to know in my prayer for forgiveness
Eddie (Monday, 11 March 2024 22:16)
Thank you for such an inspiring nessage. I am blessed
Leah (Monday, 11 March 2024 22:33)
Thank you for sharing this wonderful message and will learn from it.
Mathiang manet (Monday, 11 March 2024 22:43)
I'M very happy to read this 4 step I will be struggling alot to follow them and respect it very well these are the really best step for life thank may God bless you too
Joel Kamau (Monday, 11 March 2024 23:05)
Thanks for sharing
Amos kipngeno bett (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 00:01)
I feel blessed
Thanks
Salvado Dhel (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 00:10)
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful steps of asking for forgiveness from our God, may you please keep on sending me those powerful messages, you don't know how God has used you to encourage me. Be blessed my dear fellow servant of God.
Yosef Bekele (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 00:36)
I appreciates today's notes thanks Gods bless U
Cate (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 00:42)
Thank you have learned more about forgiveness
David Kaunda (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 00:44)
This so powerful, indeed we don't even sleep because of guiltiness.
This lesson will help me to ask for forgiveness everytime I hurt someone
Mwanja Gerald (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 01:25)
Thank you so much for sharing this information. If I can live by it , I find a lot freedom in my life
Anita (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 01:36)
This is a strong message, it has given me courage and strength to overcome guilt
Joram Lukyamuzi (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 01:55)
This message opens up one's mind on how to get a good relationship with God, and having a continuous joy in the lord.
Thank you
Alex Onyango (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 02:21)
Indeed we are representatives of Christ so we need to try to be perfect as He is Perfect . We are letters to the world, let us be quick in asking for forgiveness whenever we wrong our brothers and sisters
Gilbert Kukako (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 04:26)
Thanks for the inspiring message glory to God.
Miriam (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 05:31)
Thank you so much for telling words of our
experience God bless you
LUE-ANN (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 06:01)
what a wonderful, positive and powerful message.thanks keep up the good work,keep sharing God's words to others so it can transform lives �
Mercy (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 10:59)
Amen powerful words
Thembelihle (Tuesday, 12 March 2024 18:05)
Amen cry pray night