10 Excellent Bible Verses About Forgiving Yourself

If you’re having trouble forgiving yourself for past mistakes, then where can you turn to for help?  Talking to someone that understands can help.  So can reading books or watching TED talks all about forgiving yourself and moving on with life.  But I’ve found, that one of the best sources on this topic is the Bible.  In it, you can find advice and wisdom about any topic you could imagine.  In this post, I will cover 10 Bible verses on forgiving yourself.

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What Does it Mean to Forgive Yourself?

Before we get to the Bible verses, let’s talk about what self-forgiveness means.  Forgiving yourself means admitting your mistakes, making peace with them, and moving on from the past. 

Why is it Difficult to Forgive Yourself?

Forgiving yourself is extremely difficult for most people.  We can give other people a second chance, but with ourselves, we beat ourselves up over and over again for the same mistake.  It’s a constant struggle.

Why is it so difficult to practice self-forgiveness? It’s a simple concept, but most of us struggle.  I struggle daily with forgiving myself for the past.  It’s something I have to work on every day.

Part of the problem is regret.  We regret our past mistakes and wish they didn’t happen.  As a Christian, I believe Satan also uses this regret to his advantage.  He uses these regrets and adds his only little twisted narrative to them.  This twist helps us stay in the regret narrative longer, which makes it harder and harder to forgive ourselves.  It’s a crazy cycle!

Another reason we struggle to forgive ourselves is we really, really hate to admit our own mistakes. Admitting our sins just makes them that much more real.  We can’t forgive ourselves for something we can’t admit, right? 

How Can You Truly Forgive Yourself?

This post is all about forgiving yourself, and how important it is to do.  But, can we actually “forgive” ourselves?  Isaiah 43:25 says, “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” (NLT) This verse reminds us that God is the ultimate forgiver of sins.  He alone can REALLY forgive us.

Even knowing this, we can still forgive ourselves.  When you forgive yourself, not only are you admitting your mistakes and moving on, but you’re also actively accepting God’s forgiveness for what you’ve done.  This is the only real way to forgive yourself and be forgiven!

Bible Verses About Forgiving Yourself

We’ve discussed what self-forgiveness means and why it’s so hard to forgive yourself for past mistakes.  This post has also talked about the path to true forgiveness through Jesus.  Now let’s get into the Bible verses about forgiving yourself.  

Verses About Admitting Your Sins

Practicing self-forgiveness means you’re ready to admit your mistakes. Whether it’s a big sin or a little “white lie”, sin is still wrong. We try to categorize our sins as less than ones other people make, but that’s not the way we should look at it. Being able to humble yourself and admit your mistakes is a key step in seeking forgiveness.

• Proverbs 28:13- People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.
• Psalms 32:5- Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
• 1 Timothy 1:15- Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Verses About God Forgiving You

After admitting that we all sin, it is time to seek forgiveness. God is there when we are ready to admit when we have made mistakes. He’s waiting to forgive us the moment we do.

• 1 John 1:9- If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
• Mark 11:25- Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions
• Daniel 9:9- To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him…

Favorite Scriptures About Receiving Forgiveness

After we’ve asked for forgiveness, it’s time to accept it into your heart. No more beating yourself up. No more wallowing in the mistakes of the past. In Christ, you are a new creation! It’s time to move on and celebrate!!

• Ephesians 2:8- For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
• John 1:12- But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
• 1 Peter 2:24- He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.

This last verse is a favorite for many, and one that sums up the entire message of God’s love and forgiveness:

• John 3:16- “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse about forgiving yourself? Feel free to drop them in the comments below, or reach out through email. And don’t forget to subscribe for the latest updates, freebies, and Bible Study resources!

Blessings,