"Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness." (Hebrews 12:5-10) Satan's will is to have you think how bad you are and to believe God doesn't love you. No matter how sinful you are God ALWAYS loves you and will allow you to go through as much suffering as is necessary to finally believe Him and not His adversary. God wants us to repent (Acts 2:38), which means to change our mind from seeking the will of the devil (e.g. to not forgive yourself after God has already done so) to His will. In his Sermon on the Mount Jesus said that if we ask God for something (according to His perfect love and will) He will give it to us: "'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.'" (Matthew 7:7-8)
It is God's will that we ask for forgiveness. Although He knows we are weak and sometimes give in to the temptations and deceptions of sin, He promises to forgive: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and just to FORGIVE US our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1John 1:8-9)
When you pray to God, ask Him to help you believe Him and accept His forgiveness no matter how bad you think your sins are. Belief (faith) in God can lead you to repentance. |