Forgiveness

Bill is a wonderful husband, but he’s also a talented joy robber. When we were enjoying a rare clear day in Southern California — the smog was gone and the air was crystal clear — I exclaimed, “Oh, Bill, isn’t it beautiful! It looks like God has vacuumed the sky.”

“Yeah,” Bill grumbled, “but He’ll probably dump the sweeper bag tomorrow.”

Somehow, joy robbers have a tendency to make us feel guilty about focusing on the brighter side of life, as though we’re unaware of our past mistakes or the problems that haunt our lives. When I feel that guilt creeping into my mind again, I remember the guilt-free phrases in Psalm 32:1–5: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven. ... The LORD does not impute iniquity. ... You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” It feels like God has vacuumed up my mistakes—and they’re gone forever!

Barbara Johnson

Taken from Women of Faith Devotional Bible