21 'If the wicked, however, renounces all the sins he has committed, respects my laws and is law-abiding and upright, he will most certainly live; he will not die.
22 None of the crimes he committed will be remembered against him from then on; he will most certainly live because of his upright actions.'
EZEKIEL 18:21-22
No matter how bad we have messed up in our lives--no matter how low we have fallen. The Lord wants to forgive us. In the Lord's mercy we will find LIFE!!!
Not only is He willing to forgive us, but, if we repent, none of our sins shall be hold against us! But repentance here involves not only feeling sorry for our sins, but turning our lives around: conversion, respecting the laws of God, being upright.
It will not be easy and we will certainly err at times, but, in the words of Pope Francis: "the Lord never gets tired of forgiving us!"
Let's take it a step further-- since forgiveness will give us life, it is only logical that we too must forgive those who have hurt us in order to embrace that new life! This is a very hard thing to do!!! People have stepped all over our hearts, have hurt us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But hate, bitterness, and resentment are internal--they do not make the other person pay... they just make us wither. Forgiveness will set you free.
If you find yourself unable to forgive, remember that God forgives you, who have also done wrong. Sounds familiar?
"Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us..."
It is in the measure we forgive that we will be forgiven.
And if you still can't forgive--ask the Lord to help you!
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