Devotional for God's Forgiveness

The definition of forgiveness is the act of pardoning an offender. In the Bible, the Greek word translated forgiveness literally means “to let go".

Friends, we have that with God! Over and over, He grants forgiveness when we repent. While we certainly should strive to be better people and live for God every day, we sometimes mess up. Daily, in fact. But there's no limit to God's forgiveness.

Let me be clear - God wants you to go to Him with your sins. God loves you!

There is no need to be embarrassed or ashamed. Shame is evil, attempting to keep you from your Heavenly Father. 

We all carry secret shame—things we’ve done, words we’ve said, thoughts we’ve entertained. That shame wants to keep us hiding from God and from the people closest to us. The good news? There is literally no sin too dark, too repeated, or too embarrassing for the blood of Jesus. When we confess, He doesn’t sigh—He sings over us with joy (Zephaniah 3:17). His forgiveness is complete, immediate, and forever.

God will not turn you away. There is no sin too big for God and His love for you!

In marriage and family life, resting in God’s forgiveness looks like:

• Waking up every morning knowing yesterday’s harsh words, hidden sin, or failure are completely gone
• Extending to your spouse the same ‘as far as the east is from the west’ grace you’ve received
• Teaching your kids that mistakes don’t define them because Jesus already paid for every one
• Confessing to each other without fear, because you’re both fully forgiven children at the same table
• Praying together, ‘Lord, thank You that our worst day doesn’t change Your love for us or for each other’

The Bible has countless scriptural verses that describe God's forgiveness for us that can reinforce this message far better than I can.

Please take the time to read the Bible scriptures below and truly focus on what they are saying to you. Some passages may touch you differently than others. Writing down the verses in your own hand is helpful for some individuals. Possibly looking up the verses in your Bible may be beneficial. I use a NIV bible translation. Or reading them over and over to commit to memory. Whatever method works best for you to experience God’s words and feel closer to Him.

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Psalm 32:1-2

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

Psalm 103:8-12

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalm 86:4-7

Isaiah 55:6-7

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

Luke 7:47-50

Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Romans 3:21-25

But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

1 John 1:7-9

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Proverbs 28:13-14