forgiveness Archives - Jackie M. Johnson

When You Make a Mistake: What to Do Next

Years ago, a utility worker in Arizona mistakenly tripped off an electric transmission line and cut power to 1.4 million homes.

It was probably enormously embarrassing to the worker; that one small action caused a blackout all the way to San Diego!

Big blunder. Huge consequences.

Large or small, intentional or unintentional, we all make mistakes. No one lives error-free. It is part of the human condition.

Often, mistakes will cost you something—your time, money, reputation, or something else.

For instance, if you miss one payment on your credit card bill, your rate may go up significantly. Ignore the fine print on a document and you may wind up with results you never expected.

Forget to pick up your child after ballet class, and you’ve got your hands full with some strong emotions.

We all mess up at times, but it’s what we do after the mistake that makes a difference.

You can wallow in regret, you can run and hide, or you can choose to learn from your mistakes.

Failure can turn to triumph when you first ask God for forgiveness. Then receive it, and learn to discern the ways of wisdom.

Find ways to do things differently and make better choices next time.

When we are repentant and ask for forgiveness, God extends it. God keeps on loving us—even when we mess up.

Don’t keep beating yourself up emotionally. You may have done something “bad” but you are not a bad person. God loves you—always has, always will. He may be hurt by your actions at times, but restoration is possible.

That’s why grace is so amazing.

Then, move forward. Don’t keep mulling over the mistake in your mind. God forgives and forgets; we need to do the same by forgiving ourselves.

Never underestimate the power of prayer. There is nothing you have done or can do that is out of reach of our loving Lord. God can do anything; we simply need to ask in faith.

Ask God for wisdom. He can heal your wounds, and give you strength to live in the present, not keep looking over your shoulder at the past. In this life you and I will make mistakes.

God is not looking for perfection. He knows your heart and cares more about your intentions.

You can become a person of wisdom as you become a person of prayer. When you ask, God will empower you to make wise choices. Ask Him for wisdom, then walk in it.

POWER PRAYER for HEALING MISTAKES

Lord, I don’t know what to do. I’ve made a big blunder, and I don’t know how to make things right. Will you give me wisdom to take the next step, and show me what to do differently? I’ve been depending upon myself. Will you lead and guide me in the right path? I need your wisdom and power to do the right thing. I ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Jackie M. Johnson

How to Experience the Love, Hope and Grace of Easter All Year Long

When I was a kid, Easter was all about the candy—and how much my siblings and I could consume before our parents pulled the plug on our holiday sugar fix.

Of course, we dyed eggs of various pastel colors. And, I looked forward to wearing a pretty new dress on Easter Sunday.

I enjoyed the festivities and the food (especially the lamb-shaped cake with coconut that my Grandma always served). Back then, I had no idea there was more to this springtime celebration.

Infinitely more.

When I was in high school, I learned about the true and deeper meaning of Easter. And about the complete forgiveness, amazing grace and unconditional love available to each of us through Jesus Christ.

Amazing Love
Think about someone you love. Maybe it’s your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, best friend, or a child.

As much as you love that person, God loves you infinitely more than that.

If only we knew how much God loves us. It would change everything.

In fact, God loved you and me—and all people—so much that he demonstrated it in a way the world would never forget.

John 3:16 tells us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

That, my friend, is very good news.

Because of what Jesus Christ accomplished by overcoming death and rising again victorious and alive, we can live forever, forgiven and free! Grace has made a way for us.

That is the hope and joy of Easter.

After the darkness and death of Good Friday comes the startling good news of Easter Sunday. He’s alive! I’m forgiven. Let’s celebrate!

So how can we live out the joy of Easter every day?

Here are four (4) key ideas I’ve been pondering:

1. There is no resurrection without first a death. There is no glorious Easter Sunday without Good Friday. Likewise, some things in our own lives need to “die,” to be surrendered, to God so we can become all we’re intended to be.

Think about a seed falling into the ground. Jesus said (as recorded in John 12: 24): “Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Alone, one seed is just one seed. But planted, a seed will grow to be a tall plant or flower—or in this case, a crop of wheat. But the seed has to first die before it brings forth life.

Just as a seed surrenders to the soil, we learn to surrender our selfish and sinful ways. It’s not always easy. But as we persevere—and wait—we find that God grows in us His best outcomes and lasting spiritual fruit.

2. There’s a time of waiting. After Christ was buried in a tomb, silence. In our own lives, when we surrender different areas of our lives to God we often have to wait days, years or decades for things to change. But it is in the quiet and dark seasons of life that our character is tested.

How will we respond while we wait—with patience and faith, or with pouting and fear?

The good news is that eventually a seed begins to sprout, and one day it bears fruit. So, too, we can reap a harvest of a lifetime from our surrendered hopes and dreams as we persevere and have faith.

Galatians 6:9 reminds us to trust God’s timing: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

3. Believe for the day things will “arise.” At the first break of dawn, on the third day after He was buried, a group of people went to the tomb to check on the body of Jesus. Here’s what happened:

As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” (Mark 16:5-7)

Easter means ultimate victory! Christ rose from the dead. And, today He resurrects hopes and dreams in our lives too.

Like a tender green shoot that erupts from the cool, dark earth, something worthy and wonderful happens in our own lives. To our joyful surprise, we arise to:
Joy after sorrow.
Peace after pain.
Forgiveness after an argument.
A dormant dream finally awakened.
Hope for the days ahead.

4. Live like you believe it. Easter is only one day of the year. But we can live the joy of the holiday every day as we learn to surrender, knowing that it leads to a fruitful and triumphant life.

Do you have dreams that seem dead? A dream of a healthy dating relationship, a great marriage, a loving family? Do you desire to start a business or ministry, lose weight or do something that seems like it’s never going to happen?

As believers, we have “incomparably great power…that power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead.” (See Ephesians 1:19-20).
That’s some kind of power! God’s strength is available to you and me today—and every day.

As you anticipate the upcoming Easter season, try some of these ideas to prepare your heart for Resurrection Sunday:
• Read the Easter story. Sure, this is familiar to many of you. But read it again, perhaps with others (or even read it aloud), and find some new insights this year. If this is new, turn to the book of Mark (or any of the Gospels) in your Bible and read what God has done.

• Reflect. In your prayer time with God, ask Him what you need to surrender, let go of, in your life, and what you need to arise to in your life. Ask Him for the strength to help you.

• Gather with other believers at church on Easter morning. Or, find a sunrise service in your area held outdoors, which can be inspiring in new ways.

May the JOY of Easter be with you this season, and every day of the year.

Additional Resources by Jackie M. Johnson

Power Prayers for Women
Prayers with Purpose for Women
Praying with Power When Life Gets Tough
When Love Ends and the Ice Cream Carton Is Empty

By Jackie M. Johnson

How to Know For Certain You’ll Go to Heaven – Discovering God’s Love and Amazing Grace

I want to talk with you about something important.

In fact, it’s the most important thing you will ever consider and choose in your entire life.

These are strange and unusual times for all of us. The coronavirus (COVID-19) is spreading across our globe like a tsunami. There is a feeling of uncertainty, anxiety and fear about this pandemic as people of all ages are wondering:

• Will I be safe from this virus? Will my loved ones be safe?
• What will happen to my job? The economy?
• When will this pandemic end?

While no one knows the exact answers to these crucial questions, we can have certainty about some things.

We can have certainty that God is in control—even when we cannot see it or feel it.

We can have certainty that all things work together for the good—even when we do not understand or like it.

We can know for certain that God loves each one of us. He is merciful and good, during the happy times and in the challenging times in life.

Most importantly, we can have certainty about where we will go when we pass from this Earth.

Ask yourself this question: Do you know with certainty that if you died today that you would go to heaven?

What was your answer? Yes. No. Maybe. I don’t know.

That, my friend, is the most important question you will ever answer in your lifetime.

Listen, I’m not trying to incite fear. My aim is to provide peace by pointing to God’s truths.

Realistically, while many people will recover from this virus, sadly some people will succumb to it. Thousands already have.

As of this writing, more than 90,000 people worldwide (14,000 in the United States) have died from COVID-19. And people die every day from other diseases and causes.

No matter the reason, each of us will pass from this Earth one day. The mortality rate for human beings is 100%. Meaning, that everyone who has ever lived will one day die.

But here’s the Good News.

You can know with certainty that you will go to heaven. Because the One who loves you most, Jesus Christ, made a way for you. For me. And for all who choose to follow Him.

Tell Me More Good News

The Good News is that you can have a meaningful and personal relationship with God. You can be assured of heaven, experience the peace that passes understanding, and find help and hope here and now in this hard and messy world.

This relationship comes through faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

Jesus himself said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV)

Here’s the thing. You can’t get into heaven by being a “good person” or doing good deeds. Because what we call “good” will never be good enough by God’s holy standards.

You can’t earn salvation through performance, and you can’t buy a ticket to Paradise with money.

Instead, salvation is a gift from God for all who will receive it. It’s an amazing gift of grace, mercy and love, one that each person receives for himself or herself through faith in Jesus Christ.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith.
And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
(Ephesians 2:8-9)

Sin Separates; Christ Connects

As human beings, we have a natural tendency to want to control our lives, to “do our own thing,” and not live by God’s ways. We may be selfish or rebellious. We do things wrong. We mess up. Or we may be ignorant; we simply don’t know God’s ways.

When we don’t put God first—when we live our own way and reject His principles—it’s called sin.

Sin keeps us separated from God. We’re not right with Him. We’re disconnected from the very source of life and power for living.

Bottom line: All of us have sinned. And a payment for sin needs to be made.

“For everyone has sinned;
we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”
Romans 3:23 (NLT)

In The Message version, Romans 3:23-24 reads,
“God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ.”

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NLT)

“Wages” are payment. If you work at a job, your employer pays you a salary or wages. The payment for sin is death, hell and separation from God. (Yes, sadly hell is real, even though we don’t hear much about it these days.)

Thankfully, God stepped in and made the payment for us.

Because He loved us so much, He paid the price for our sins. How? By Jesus Christ’s suffering and death on a cross, His shed blood was the payment.

But Jesus didn’t stay in the grave. No, He miraculously rose from the dead! Death could not hold Him. He’s alive! Resurrected. And He is coming again.

Jesus Christ paid a debt He didn’t owe. We owed a debt we could not pay. His death and resurrection covered the sins of the world.

Once. And for all.

Here’s another way to look at it.

Imagine you received a bill in the mail that said you owed one hundred trillion dollars. A gigantic amount of money. You know you’ll never be able to pay the bill, and you’re beside yourself wondering what to do.

Then imagine a kind person pays that exorbitant bill for you and you receive a statement that now reads, “PAID IN FULL.” Wow! What a relief! Who would pay such a debt?

While that’s just an example, it can help us to comprehend on a small level what Christ did for us. There is no way we could pay our “sin debt” on our own, Jesus Christ paid the price for us.

His death brought us LIFE. His pain brought us PEACE.

“But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5)

Just as sin separated us from God, now Christ connects us.

We need to repent (to turn away from our sins and wrongdoings) and turn to the One who bore our sins, Jesus Christ. It is a change of heart, and a change of actions.

Knowing About God vs. Knowing God

Many people know about God, but they don’t know that they can have a personal relationship with Him.

I didn’t know that for many years.

I grew up going to church every Sunday in a traditional denomination. I tried to be a “good person” and learned the basics of right and wrong.

When I was 17, I met a friend, Dan, who told me about “being saved” and “knowing Jesus personally.” I had no idea what he was talking about. He invited me to church, so I went to check it out.

My friend even bought me a Bible. I’d never had my own Bible. In fact, I didn’t even know they made them in portable sizes. (I’m embarrassed to say that we had a gigantic-sized Bible at home, but we only used it to press leaves. We didn’t read it.)

Then, I met a new friend, Lisa, and she began sharing with me about who God was and how much He loved me. In fact, her whole family modeled love to me. It was an eye-opening experience for a 17-year-old kid who felt lost from her parents’ recent divorce and was living in a new town where she didn’t know anyone.

I learned about God’s love revealed to us through Jesus Christ. I also learned that:

• God is not distant, he is near.
• God is loving, kind and compassionate. God is also just.
• God is sovereign and in control.
• God is powerful and almighty. He can do anything!
• God is all about grace and mercy, love and forgiveness.
• He is our healer—for our bodies and our broken relationships.
• He is our protector, provider and our peace.
• And so much more.

A few months later, Lisa invited me to a youth rally with more than 18,000 high school kids. Josh McDowell was speaking. At the end of his talk, he gave an altar call (where people can come to the front of the stage and pray to accept Christ as their personal Savior). I had never seen that before and stayed in the stands while my friend Lisa took some other girls up to the stage.

As I sat there, alone in a crowd of thousands, a woman I’d never met tapped me on the shoulder. She asked if I knew Jesus and I said I didn’t know.

For months, I had been going to this new church, asking questions and learning about God. But I was still uncertain.

Then, in about five minutes, this kind woman clearly explained to me the Good News, that I could know Jesus Christ personally and know for certain that I would go to heaven.

I finally understood that I needed to make a decision. So I chose to pray with this nameless woman in Illinois to receive Jesus Christ as my Savior. Not because of what my parents believed, but what I believed. Not because of the good deeds I did, but because of God’s grace.

I made a decision that changed my life forever in positively amazing ways.

Believe and Receive

So, what about you? What will you decide?

Will you choose to believe God’s truths and accept Jesus Christ into your own heart?

Remember, becoming a Christian isn’t about a set of rules, it’s about a relationship. It’s a one-on-one connection with the One who created you, the One who loves you most.

God wants you to know Him, to love Him, to believe Him and to serve Him. He wants you to be with Him forever. God wants to give you joy and peace like you’ve never known before, forgiven and free from guilt and shame.

You don’t have to be uncertain; you can know for sure that you are going to heaven, and have the help and hope of Christ here on Earth.

“If you confess that Jesus is your Lord,
and you believe in your heart that
God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9 (NIV)

What to Do Next?

Take a moment now to pray a simple prayer of commitment to God:

Lord, thank you for Your love for me. I humbly bow before You and confess my sins. I am sorry and I ask for Your forgiveness. I choose to turn from my wrong ways and follow You. I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He died on a cross, and rose from the dead victorious and alive—so that I might truly live—in power and purpose here on earth, and in heaven forever with God. I ask you to come into my heart. I accept your gift of salvation. Guide my life and help me to grow in my faith. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, I am so happy for you!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17)

Jesus is your Savior and your Lord. Your Savior, in that He has saved you and forgiven your sins, and Lord, as you choose to follow God’s ways every day. You choose to live what you believe.

Jesus calls us to follow Him. We live with Him and for Him, and in the strength and power He generously gives us. When you “follow the leader,” you are reorienting your life from selfish ways to God’s ways. And you can follow knowing that God is loving, sovereign and wise. He knows all things and He is good. God knows best. And we can trust Him with every area of our lives.

Grow in Your Faith

I encourage you to begin the process of growing in your faith.

Just like an apple seed planted in the soil becomes a tree with a harvest of fruit, your faith journey can grow and you will “bear fruit” in your life.

Growth happens as you get to know God better by reading the Bible (which is God’s Word to us), through prayer (talking to God and sharing your heart as you would talk with a close friend), finding a Bible-believing church to attend and getting connected with other believers.

While church attendance in-person is not possible right now as most of the U.S. and the world are under “stay at home” orders because of the virus, there are many churches you can watch online.

As you live out your faith every day you will find hope and joy, peace and strength. The power of God’s Holy Spirit will help you do what you cannot do in your own human effort.

Faith in Christ leads to transformation. I’ve experienced it myself and seen it in others.

God has good plans for you, too, and He will be with you every step of the way.

By Jackie M. Johnson

How to Forgive When You Just Don’t Want To

You’re hurting. Mad. Sad. Stunned that someone you care about has hurt you so greatly. Is it really possible to forgive—especially when you just don’t want to?

I mean, he hurt you—or she offended you. Why should you forgive? The other person should pay for their transgressions, right? They don’t deserve to be forgiven after what they have done.

I’ve learned a lot about the topic of forgiving others, especially after going through heart-wrenching breakups in dating relationships.

One guy I dated for nearly two years moved out of state for his job and forgot to tell me we broke up. Seriously. When I called him, the phone just rang and rang. I never got an explanation about why he ghosted me.

Boyfriend, girlfriends or friends may do things to cause us pain. Parents or family members may say mean things. Even total strangers can cause us grief. We’ve all been hurt before.

After one awful breakup, I started looking for answers about how to deal with the pain and how to forgive. I had some misconceptions about forgiveness, and I learned some life-changing things in the process.

Four Big Ideas

Here are four (4) big ideas I’ve come to learn about forgiveness:

Forgiveness is not forgetting about what happened or acting like everything is okay. It doesn’t mean that you condone what happened, agree with it or like it.
Holding onto past pain not only continues to hurt you,it can also block you from moving forward. Pent up pain turns into bitterness, resentment, and emotional poison works its way into other areas of your life.
Forgiving someone is not “letting them off the hook.” You are not overlooking the offense or excusing it, and you are definitely not letting the offender off the hook for his or her words or actions. Instead, you’re putting that person on God’s hook, so to speak, and trusting God to deal with it fairly because He said He would.
Forgiveness is possible.You can forgive others because the One who loves you most, God, has first forgiven you—and because He asks us to. He will give you the power and strength to do what you cannot do on your own.

How does that work?

As you release the person who’s wronged you to God, He ensures justice is served; not you.

“Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

Our perspective changes when we realize what God has done for us: He freely extends unconditional love and forgiveness to us, His children. And in the light of the mercy He’s shown us, we can extend the hand of forgiveness to others.

Forgiving others is possible as you:

Acknowledge you have been hurt. “I have been wronged.”
Receive God’s forgiveness. “I have been wrong, too. I need forgiveness.”
Choose to forgive. “I’m wrestling with why I should I forgive him?”
Release to God in prayer—and forgive. “Because God has forgiven me, I will forgive him.”

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” ~ Matthew 6:14, 15

Forgiveness isn’t easy. That’s for sure. Give your situation to God to handle. Choose to forgive others because God has forgiven you. He will help you through it.

And then go live in emotional freedom and peace!

Prayer
Lord, You know what’s happened in this relationship. I bring before you (say the person’s name) and all the hurt and pain he (or she) has caused me. In my own strength I cannot let go, but I ask for the power of the Holy Spirit to help me to forgive. Blow a fresh wind of healing in my life and release the resentment, bitterness, and feelings of offense. Help me to forgive because you have forgiven me. Empower me to have mercy on others in Your strength, knowing You are a God of justice. I ask for Your mighty power to work in me and through me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

QUESTION: Have you had a hard time forgiving someone who’s hurt you? What did you do to move forward? Let us know in the comments section below.

Additional Resources by Jackie M. Johnson:

By Jackie M. Johnson

When You’ve Been Hurt: Forgive and Be Set Free!

If you’ve ever had your home or car broken into, you know how violating it can feel. It’s happened to me twice.

Break-ins to your vehicle are one thing; break-ins to your inner life can be devastating.

Perhaps you’ve known the sting of rejection from a boyfriend or girlfriend, or the betrayal of a close friend. Maybe you’ve been wounded with the unkind words of another. Or someone has defamed your character.

We see this played out in the news nearly every day. Especially around election time with mudslinging, dirty politics—and fake news.

When you or someone you care about is mistreated, what do you do?

Hold a grudge? Let bitterness and resentment build up? Or, choose to forgive—and walk in freedom and peace?

Justice is served

One of the biggest reasons people don’t want to forgive someone who’s hurt them is because they mistakenly believe that the person will get away with it (whatever they’ve done).

You think the other person should “pay” for what they’ve done—and do so at your hands. But when you forgive, you release him from your hands and give the situation to God to handle; He will ensure justice is served.

Read what Romans 12:19 says in The Message Bible:

“Don’t insist on getting even;

that’s not for you to do.

‘I’ll do the judging,’ says God. ‘I’ll take care of it’”

God’s heart breaks when someone is mistreated. He sees your pain, and He cares about your trials. Thankfully, God is a God of Justice. He will make all things right.

Release and be set free!

Forgiving someone who has wronged you is for you. Whether or not he says he’s sorry, whether or not she asks for forgiveness, forgive in your heart—ask God to help you release what you are holding on to.

Forgiveness sets your heart free.

Of course, it is not a one-time process. In fact, you may need to have multiple conversations with God about your situation. Forgiving is a journey. One step at a time.

But the path becomes clearer as we come to understand why we need to do something that seems so difficult: God has first forgiven us, and He asks us to forgive other. Jesus said,

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” —Matthew 6:14, 15

You may still feel resistance. I’m not forgiving him; he doesn’t deserve it. Your feelings may be valid, but the truth is none of us deserve it; that’s what grace is about. Mercy and grace are gifts, extended to you by Jesus Christ.

Because of His amazing love, Christ can empower you to do the unthinkable in the eyes of the world: forgive someone who has wronged you.

Forgiveness releases the pain and frees you. No longer a victim, you are a victorious person who overcomes!

Remember, too, that forgiveness doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to reconcile or hang out with people who have hurt you. Sometimes the wisest and healthiest thing to do is be away from them and have boundaries to protect your heart from further pain.

A fresh wind is blowing. It’s the freedom you feel when you’ve forgiven those who have mistreated you.

Will you choose to harbor bitterness and resentment, or come into the light of hope—forgiving others because you have been forgiven first by God?

Freedom and lasting peace are possible. The choice is yours.

PRAYER

Lord, sometimes it is hard to wrap my head around the concept of forgiveness. It seems impossible in my human strength. But Your Word says that with You everything is possible. Even this. You have forgiven me, help me extend that same mercy to the person who has wronged me. Help me to forgive—and live free and at peace again. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Jackie M. Johnson

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