Have you forgiven me?

“Mummy, I want my drawing board”, Owen said to his mother, Paula.

“How do you say that politely?”, Paula questioned.

“Mummy, can I have my drawing board please?”, Owen asked.

“Not yet, I am still watching your attitude”, Paula replied.

Owen had thrown a tantrum and when Paula asked him to calm down, he ran to his younger brother and hit him on the face. Paula had then taken him to his room to cool off for about 5 minutes.

When he returned to the living room, he said he was thirsty. Paula gave him a cup of water. He took a few sips and poured the remaining on the carpet. Paula briefly took away his drawing board and told him he won’t be getting it till evening.

“Forgive me”, Owen said.

“That’s alright. I’m not happy with what you did but I’ll give you another chance”.

Paula gave Owen his much-loved drawing board which she had initially taken from him.

“Mummy, have you forgiven me?”, Owen asked about 10 minutes later.

Paula was feeling exhausted from caring for her two kids but as Owen asked that question, her heart softened towards him.

“Of course! I’ve forgiven you honey. Come here”, she said, hugging Owen tightly. “And I’ll always love you, OK? Don’t ever forget that”. 

Like Owen, sometimes we doubt God’s love for us and wonder if He has truly forgiven us, especially when we sin against Him. But the Bible makes us to understand that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Also, … I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the iniquity of my sin (Psalms 32:5).

If we sincerely confess our sins, we can be fully assured that He has forgiven us – there’s no doubt about that.

As Christians, we are also encouraged to constantly check that we are in a current state of fellowship and communion with God. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men (Acts 24:16).

We are called to judge and question ourselves so we can be sure of our standing with God. Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you are disqualified (2 Corinthians 13:5).