When one thinks of Lent, one of the main things that comes to mind is repentance. Being sorry or sorrowing over your sins is not all that is involved on our part. It is not enough to be sorry, you must move forward away from the sin diligently turning in a new direction with a new attitude. Just as your mother would not let you get away with saying, “I’m sorry” in a snarky or sarcastic tone, so too God demands that our repentance be genuine and lead to a transformative walk with Him. This describes our part- our attitude, but God’s part is different. He is the forgiver of sins. He promises to forgiveness in 1 John 1:9 “ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We do not have the power to forgive sin and clean ourselves- that is all God! Forgiveness is a part of His nature or character. Here are some key verses for you to meditate upon about God being the Forgiver:

Micah 7:18-19 I love this image of what God does with our sins. “Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity  and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. ¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us;  he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins  into the depths of the sea.

Isaiah 43:25 God is unlike humans who seem to never forget wrongs done to them or are slow to forgive. “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. God will not hold our past sins against us! Praise God!

Psalm 103:12- how far does God take our sins? “as far as the east is from the west,
    so far does he remove our transgressions from us.”

Colossians 1:13-14 These verses remind us of the heart of God and where forgiveness comes from, Jesus. “ He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

What should be our response after receiving forgiveness from God though Jesus? Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.”

Forgiveness begins with God’s Holy Spirit working in our hearts to convict us of our sin, showing us where we are falling short and leading us to our own realization and sorrow over our sin. Then God begins the repairing of our souls with His wonderful forgiveness though our faith in Jesus. Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can experience God’s forgiveness in full which leads to a changed life. In that transformed life, 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” New life comes through faith from a heart of repentance. In that new life, our love for Jesus leads us to act differently towards others being kind, tenderhearted and forgiving of each other.

Never underestimate the power of God’s forgiveness which leads to transformation! With God all things are possible, keep on praying for those loved ones and friends to come to know the great Forgiver!

Linda