Glorious Grace Day 7: Forgiveness Opens The Door

Today’s Scripture

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”  

1 Corinthians 2:9

Cruel words spoken in anger. A betrayal of trust. Promises broken. A destructive relationship you knew you should not have entered into.

Have you been down those dark paths before? There are so many people who are living in the shadow of guilt and condemnation. The mistakes of their past haunt them and it is a painfully lonely and arduous journey for them.

Perhaps the paralyzed man who was let down through the roof by his four faithful friends in the book of Mark understood a little of this. The Bible tells us he was paralyzed to the point where he could only lie on a mat, which was how his friends carried him to the house Jesus was in. With the man lying inert on his mat, his four friends lowered him through the roof, right in front of Jesus—the only way they knew how to bring their crippled friend before Jesus and secure his healing.

Scripture tells us that when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5).

To all who were watching this scene unfold that day, that must have been a very strange thing for Jesus to say—“your sins are forgiven you.” The man was clearly paralyzed. He was obviously there for healing. What had forgiveness to do with his condition or healing?

But Jesus knew it was exactly what this poor man needed to hear for his healing to manifest. And indeed, at Jesus’ next words, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go to home,” the paralyzed man “jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers” (Mark 2:11–12 NLT).

What had transpired? Jesus saw, when no one else could, that the man needed to hear he was forgiven, that God was not condemning him. And those words opened the door to his healing and broke him loose from his paralysis. No wonder the onlookers were stunned—the man went from being immobile and helpless to being active, strong, and completely whole right before their eyes!

My beloved friend, if you are paralyzed by a heavy sense of condemnation over something in your past, I want you to know beyond any doubt that God is not withholding your breakthrough from you.

He loves you, understands your pain and suffering, and has forgiven you through the cross. He wants you to know that your past does not have to poison your future. No matter how many dark days you have experienced, God has prepared many wonderful open doors of opportunity, favor, and good success for you to walk through in the days ahead. Your brightest and most glorious days are still ahead of you.

Today’s Thought

My past does not have to poison my future. God has prepared many wonderful open doors of opportunity, favor, and good success for me to walk through in the days ahead.

 

Today’s Prayer

Father, thank You that because Jesus has secured my perfect forgiveness at the cross, You do not condemn me, and my past does not have to poison my future. I thank You that You love me, You understand all that I have gone through and am going through right now, and You are not withholding the breakthroughs that I need.

I believe that You have prepared many wonderful open doors of opportunity, favor, and good success for me to walk through in the days ahead. Thank You that my brightest and most glorious days are ahead of me. Amen.

This reading is taken from Joseph Prince’s new devotional, Glorious Grace. Get your copy today! 

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