Forgiveness

"You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy" ~ Psalm 86:5-6

David prayed to God for mercy because He knew something about God's nature, that while He deals in truth, He also deals in compassion, grace, and forgiveness. This has been part of God's nature since before the creation of the world, since He is unchanging. God knew long before we started sinning that He had a desire to forgive us, if we'd only humble ourselves and turn toward Him. Yet, so many people do just the opposite and try to look for it within themselves. They talk about the need to "forgive themselves" before they even ask God for forgiveness. Do you realize that forgiving yourself is never mentioned in Scripture and actually isn't even possible? You can choose to let go of the past or move on from your mistakes, but only God can wipe your slate clean in heaven. This week at Friendship, we'll look into the foundation of "Forgiveness", which then leads to our responsibility to repent of our sins and also forgive those who harm us. Since every single one of us deals with having to forgive others, this is a message you don't want to miss.