As Far As the East is from the West
A couple months ago, I read something Doug Addison wrote & had a life-altering epiphany.
Many times our accuser, Satan, wants to tell us God is mad at us. He repeats our past sins to us over & over again like a broken record, so unless we refute him, we can begin believing that the Lord only sees us through the lens of our mistakes. For many years, us believers can be convinced of the separation between us & our Heavenly Father, without realizing that this is contrary to His Word!!
[Now, this assumes you & I have repented of our sins & asked God to cleanse us from our pasts. Once you have done that, these scriptures come into play…]
The Bible has this to say about God’s forgiveness with us, and it’s AMAZING:
— Isaiah 43
“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord”
— Acts 3
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
— 1 John 1
“The LORD is merciful and gracious,
— Psalm 103
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will He keep His anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does He remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him.”
I couldn’t believe it. God doesn’t remember my sins — EVER AGAIN — once I’ve confessed them?? That is unbelievable, yet there it is in black & white in Scripture!!
I’ve listened to and read these scriptures throughout my lifetime, yet they’ve never been “real” to me until that day. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
Lord, You’ve forgiven me for everything I’ve done in my lifetime? How do You truly not remember & cast my sins as far as the east is from the west?? You — the all-knowing God of the universe — truly forget all my wrongs?
Then another wave of insight hit me.
How can I keep a record of others’ wrongs when You’ve forgotten ALL mine?
My list is HUGE. How many times have I disobeyed Your voice? How many times have I given into fear or procrastinated on what You’ve told me to do? How often have I given into anger, unforgiveness, doubt, addiction & the like in my life? I’ve told lies. I’ve had bad motives, even when doing the “right” things. I’ve let bitterness brew in my heart. I’ve been so selfish & self-preserving many times because of past pain. I’ve stopped hoping in the God of the universe & chased after idols in His place. I’ve…
No more — I remember them no more, He seemed to say.
Suddenly, the things people have done that hurt me seemed to pale in comparison! How can I cling to their wrongs when You don’t even remember mine?
The realization was honestly too amazing for me and still is today.
Forgive Others & Be Forgiven!
The Lord has something to say about this very thing, actually. It’s a tough pill to swallow because His grace IS incredible — but it also has one major condition.
“If you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
— Matthew 6
This is the only way to freedom, y’all. Releasing our resentment is like a 1,000 lb. weight being lifted off our chest & realizing that the weight was our own judgment (because we were standing in God’s place of judgment over others)!! For Jesus said,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
— Matthew 7
It’s liberating to realize we’ve ALL messed up immensely, but God in His amazing mercy put that all on Jesus at the Cross & now He joyfully remembers them no more.
What a perfect time to talk about this during Easter Week — the time we remember how Jesus our Saviour won the greatest battle ever fought! So why don’t we honor His sacrifice for us by obeying Him?
This week, I encourage you to throw out your lists — your record of other people’s wrongs against you — and remind yourself just how much God’s forgiven your own! And whenever you’re reminded of their past behavior, remember the many, many things God has pardoned you for throughout your life. This keeps us humble before Him & focuses on our own humanity (instead of others’).
Steps to receive God’s amazing forgiveness —
- If you haven’t confessed your sins to God before, ask Him to remind you of any offenses you’ve committed against Him & His Spirit — then ask for His grace to cover your wrongs. (All the praise hands!)
- Then ask Him to remind you of people who have hurt, offended, rejected, cheated, judged or deceived you. Speak OUT LOUD that you forgive them & release any judgments against them (or in general) that come to mind — “I forgive _____ for betraying my trust. Lord, I also release my judgment against them that they’re a terrible person and that I can never trust anyone again. You are the only One I can truly place all my faith in, but Father You’ve also made many wonderful people who follow You & are often trustworthy. No one is perfect including me, so I forgive ______ for their selfish behavior & release this to You, Lord! Thank You Father for forgiving me much. You are truly gracious, & I long to be just like You! Thank You for loving me despite my rebellion & many failures. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
- Bless them & pray for them 🙂 Ask God to love on them & heal them of their bad patterns. This isn’t always easy, but it’s the best way to ensure you’ve truly released your resentment towards someone. It also releases the power of God to CHANGE their hurtful behavior, so that in place of your pain, you speak life & blessing over them that can alter their future & how they treat others forever! Amazing right?
- If an offense comes to mind again, simply say “I’ve given that to God. They’re forgiven, and I remember their sin no more.”
If you’ve done this, please know the Lord is so pleased with you! One of the best gifts we can give Him (& ourselves) is extending grace towards other people. It’s one of the most Jesus-like things we can do.
“Come now, let us reason together,
— Isaiah 1
says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;
but if you refuse and rebel,
you shall be devoured by the sword;
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.”
— 1 Cor. 13
“I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.”
— Luke 7