DIVINE FORGIVENESS
DEPRESSION
«Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our Cod, for He will abundantly pardon» (Isaiah 55:7).
Authentic the forgiveness is of not human nature. Such forgiveness can only occur through the influence of the Holy Spirit. He is the only one who can soften the heart so the imperfect human can grant authentic forgiveness.
Today’s verse speaks about divine forgiveness. It is a personal call. It invites us to come back to the Lord knowing that He will have mercy and will abundantly pardon. The Hebrew word translated as «abundantly» is rabah which expresses something numerous, enlarged, and constantly increasing. It is the best word the prophet could find to express the inspired idea of reuniting with the magnanimous God who does not look at the magnitude of the transgression but at the sincerity of the human heart.
The theme of God’s forgiveness repeatedly appears in the Scripture, and it uses various allegories and parables. The parable of the lost son (Luke 15) is one of the most beautiful and significant stories which describe God’s forgiving character. The Bibles uses rhetoric figures like snow and wool (Isa. 1:18)—excellent images of whiteness—to exemplify forgiveness. We are also told about a God who forgives iniquity and forgets our sins—even casting them into the depths of sea (Mic. 7:1819). Even so, these rhetorical figures are incomplete because the forgiveness that God grants us is immense and infinite.
One of the causes of depression is guilt—many times unfounded guilt. Examples of such guilt is when someone feels guilty for having survived an accident while others lost their lives or when a child feels guilty for the separation or divorce of his parents. But, other times, guilt is right when it is a strong remorse for a sinful behavior. In this case, the solution is divine forgiveness. Christian, the main character of John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, suffered greatly from the burden of guilt he bore on his shoulders. Seeing the cross of Christ, he noticed how the burden slipped and rolled away downhill, disappearing altogether.
If you suffer from depressive symptoms because of your transgressions, fix your eyes on the cross of Christ, and with remorsefully and repentance, make this promise yours, «For Your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great»(Ps. and 25: 11).You will immediately notice that of sin will slip downhill and become out of reach.
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Taken from: Daily Devotions for Adults 2020
“A Cheerful Heart Is Good Medicine”
From: Julian Melgoza-Laura Fidanza
Colaboradores: Alejandra Zavala