Past Sins 

   “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.” (Psalm 103: 12) 

   What a comforting thought; He has removed my sins and taken them far from me.  Even so, the memory lingers, my past sins often come to mind.  This can be a two-edged sword; it’s good to remember them , but dangerous to dwell upon them.

   I believe it is important for me to remember how sinful I have been.  It’s especially important to bring to mind the worst of them from time to time.  It reminds me of my weakness and the fact that, no matter how hard I try, there will always be sin in my life.  It reminds me of how much God loves me, that He would forgive me for my failures.

   Nevertheless, too much concern about my past sins can also be dangerous.  If I allow them to cause me to question whether they have truly been forgiven, I am doubting the word of God.  I believe too much worry over forgiven sins is a tool of the devil.  He tells me that some are such that even God could not forgive.  The father of lies can sometimes be very convincing.

   The sins I have committed are forgiven; God has removed their stain from me.  Using them as a warning, cautioning me against sin is a good thing.  However, allowing them to disrupt my peace of mind and confidence in God’s love, mercy and forgiveness implies that I do not have complete trust in the Lord.

   So I will continue to remember those sins I’d rather forget to help me avoid them in the future, and I will take great comfort and joy in the fact that they are forgiven. 

I am a sinful man.

My sins are many.

But You, Lord forgive me.

You cleanse me and make me whole. 

Amen