A friend once said that forgiveness doesn’t simply mean forgetting. Forgiveness also conveys the quality of wishing the other person well. It often takes an extraordinary act of grace to forgive—much less to accept forgiveness of this sacred kind.
In reading the psalmist’s words, we realize the true blessedness of the recipient of God’s forgiveness. We worship a God who loves us completely, who forgives transgression, and who covers our sin completely.
The psalmist, like some of us, experiences physical illness as a result of his unconfessed sin: his body wastes away, his strength dries up. But then he confesses his sin to God.
Words, spoken or unspoken, offer an opportunity to communicate to God not only our sin but also the deep longings of our hearts. We worship a God who knows the choices of our past, a God who knows the choices others have made on our behalf. These choices linger today; some may still haunt us.
The psalmist confesses his sin and receives forgiveness after his time of crisis. God forgives the guilt of the psalmist. Far beyond a temporary feeling that can melt as fast as a pint of ice cream on a hot day, the joy of the Lord can sustain the weary.
Today you can experience the steadfast love of God. Set aside your unwillingness to call upon God for help; “happy are those whose transgression is forgiven.”
How can you experience the joy of forgiveness that only God offers today? Are you ready in this moment to acknowledge to God how you are really doing?