It never ceases to amaze me how often many of us view God’s grace as fragile, fleeting, and frustrating. Initially, we fully embraced God’s saving grace and were grateful for it. However, without consistent daily reading and growing in God’s Word, we all begin to doubt God’s sustaining grace. As a result, we revert to this world’s economy of needing to earn forgiveness or doing something heroic to merit forgiveness.
Remember, now that we’ve accepted Christ, our life is ruled by the Kingdom of God’s principles, not the world’s. In God’s Kingdom, grace, forgiveness, and faith are all part of our new foundation in Christ. He purchased our saving grace and sustaining grace on the cross. To provide just saving grace to men bound by a sinful body would never work in a sinful world. However, because God knows this, he made sure that Christ’s sacrifice also purchased our sustaining grace.
Paul’s letter to Peter teaches this in 1 Peter 5:12, “I have written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.” Again, Paul reminds us of God’s grace in his letter to the church in Corinth, “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come” (2 Corinthians 1:21–22).
Because of grace, God’s forgiveness is both ongoing and transforming. His word reminds us that the harm and hurt of our past is not the heritage ahead because of Christ’s redeeming grace. It is a never-ending grace promised in scripture, abundant in God’s healing, hope, and love, not just once or twice, but thousands upon thousands of times.
Remember Jesus’ response to Peter’s question in Matthew 18:21–22, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.’”
Forgiveness isn’t limited—it’s limitless, free, and foundational to our faith in Christ. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
We can’t earn forgiveness, and we can’t slay enough dragons to deserve forgiveness. Forgiveness is an ongoing grace-filled gift of God. Moreover, the only way to transform a hoarder’s heart is through embracing God’s grace. His grace includes forgiveness for the poor and impulsive choices we still make, complete forgiveness of both the things we did and the things that we thought about doing. And of equal importance is forgiving others, so we are no longer held hostage to their toxic trash.
Let go of toxic thoughts and feelings that haunt your heart. Begin by embracing the Kingdom of God’s principles of forgiveness and grace provided to us by His Word.
Psalm 103: 8-12
8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Ponder that throughout your day, “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed all of your sins.” ALL your faults, failures, and fears, past and present. He will continue to do so as long as you live because the Father loves you that much!
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Brother Randy,
Words can’t describe how much I appreciate what you are doing with your well developed spiritual maturity and life experience, by helping me and many others with your blog. Well done kind and gentle, Sir. Thank you!
Love,
Brother Jake