Intentional Disciple
Discovering Your New Identity in Christ
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DAY 24
Intentional Forgiveness for Ourselves
“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, LORD; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.” Psalm 86:5-7 (NIV)
No one would have thought it would be Peter to deny the Lord. No one including Peter himself. After all, not only was this fisherman of Bethsaida a friend and disciple of Jesus but also one of the 12 apostles. As he walked with Jesus daily, hearing His words and seeing His works, the only plan that Peter had premeditated was that he would live to follow Jesus. As Jesus was explaining the days that lay ahead, Peter defiantly stated that even if he had to die, never would he ever turn away. Convinced in his own mind, he spoke directly to Jesus Himself, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away” (Matthew 26:33, NASB). Why would Peter say that? Because he never intended to fall away, and neither do we. There is a Peter in all of us.
The beautiful God that we serve knows us better than we know ourselves, so He designed a plan. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NASB, emphasis added). Without God’s love, there would be no forgiveness because love has absolutely everything to do with it. God has already shown us His love to us, and now it is our turn to receive it.
In every area of life, learning is a growth process. Maturing as a disciple is no exception. Forgiveness is always hard but it is especially difficult when it comes to forgiving ourselves. Releasing our own prison cell is a choice that we must make because we love God and do not want anything to separate us from drawing near to Him (Isaiah 59:2).
The following are a few forgiveness principles within Scripture that I have personally found helpful. I would strongly suggest highlighting or underlining each one in your Bible.
The Forgiveness Principle: Admit it. Quit it. Forget it.
• Admit It: 1 John 1:9, Psalm 32:5, Psalm 38:18
When we need forgiveness from God, we must humbly call upon God and He will give us mercy. If we have sin in our life, we need to admit it to God by confessing it to Him and asking Him for His merciful forgiveness. As we acknowledge our sin and confess it, then Psalm 32:5 and 1 John 1:9 tell us that forgiveness comes as a result: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
• Quit It: Proverbs 28:13, 2 Chronicles 7:14, John 8:11
Having received God’s forgiveness, we now are to stop, turn from our wicked ways, and no longer walk in the direction of our sin but completely forsake it and walk away.
• Forget It: Psalm 103:10-12, Philippians 3:13, Romans 4:7-8
We ask God to help us to forget even the memory that represents our past. Psalm 103:12 reassures us that God removes our sin as far as the east is from the west from us. Since God forgets it, with His help so can we. Psalm 66:18 cautions that if we keep regarding that iniquity or sin, then God cannot hear us.
God’s “love covers a multitude of sin” (1 Peter 4:8, NASB). The blood of Jesus is more than enough and His love covers all of our sin. Let Him. When it comes to Peter, by receiving the forgiveness of Jesus Christ and also forgiving himself, he was able to fulfill his God-given destiny as one of the courageous leaders of the church.
Embracing God’s forgiveness as a mature disciple, we too can run towards the goal and live as the apostle Paul challenges us in Philippians 3:12-15a (NIV):
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things.
May we steadfastly take this position and see from Jesus’ point of view. Gladly join the faithful and mature who have chosen to forget the past and intentionally focus on the goal of heaven
Journal your thankfulness of God’s forgiveness to you personally as you meditate on this final Scripture: “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17, NASB).
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About the Book
“I have never seen so much rich, in depth content, saturated with Scripture, contained in a one month devotional. Yet it is simple, understandable, and practical! This book is ‘on point, no fluff!’ It will challenge you to GROW!”
- Billy Beacham, director of Student Discipleship Ministries
Bring the Word of God to life.
Both new and renewed believers will be encouraged to see life, relationships and circumstances from a Biblical point of view as they purposefully learn to read and apply God’s Word daily to life.
In Intentional Disciple, author Sherry Dale offers a thirty-one-day devotional geared toward creating a holy habit of putting God first in time alone with Him. Through scripture, prayer, and journaling, this tool supports your passion for a deeper relationship with Jesus and guides you through various topics within the Bible.
Simple, understandable, and practical, this mentor-in-a-book will challenge you to grow, strengthen your new journey of grace, and inspire your confidence for this walk of a lifetime as an intentional disciple.
About the Author
Sherry Dale passionately encourages all believers to follow the prompting of I Peter 2:2,3 (NASB) and “grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” She considers this book a spiritual call to action for all disciples of Jesus Christ to purposefully obey Matthew 28:20 by not only learning what Jesus says but sharing it with others.
What began as a small Freshmen girls’ bible study from a college dorm room in Mississippi has continued to grow. Whether in small groups or large group gatherings, compelled to teach others how to follow God’s Word, Sherry strives to help all ages apply it to everyday life.
As a minister’s wife for over 38 years, Sherry sincerely appreciates the journey that God has led them on. Whether inside the church or outside the church, she realizes that though mission field locations may change, His mission never does. For the past 17 years, she has been serving and loving God’s youth as a middle school teacher.
When Sherry is not teaching, writing or enjoying her happy place at home, she can be found within the community at one of her pop-up booths. As founder of Missionary Marketplace, she actively supports the empowerment of women and children at risk of trafficking by providing a market for local and global missionary artisans. Sherry and her husband Jack enjoy living in beautiful Tennessee, where they are blessed to have two grown children, Summer and Jackson.