JEHOVAH MERCIFULLY FORGIVES US - Conclusion

 Jehovah's inspired words found at Isaiah 55:7 can comfort us if we are consumed by feelings of guilt.  Some of us may continue to feel guilty for a past mistake even after we have repented. That may especially be the case if we are still suffering the consequences of our mistake. Yet, if we have confessed our sins and corrected our course, we can be sure that Jehovah has forgiven us. And when Jehovah forgives, he chooses to not remember our sin. (Compare Jeremiah 31:3.) So if Jehovah does not dwell on our past sins, neither should we. What counts with Jehovah is what we are doing now, not what mistakes we made in the past. (Ezekiel 33:14-16) And soon, our Father of tender mercies will permanently free us from the consequences of our mistakes 

What should we do if we are afflicted by a guilty conscience because of hiding a serious sin? The Bible encourages us to ask the elders for help. (James 5:14, 15) However, we may not find it easy to admit our wrongdoing. But we will be moved to approach those faithful men if we are repentant and if we remember that Jehovah and the men he has appointed to help us will lovingly show mercy. Consider how Jehovah's mercy comforted a brother named Arthur, whose conscience was deeply troubled. "For about a year, I viewed pornography, said Arthur. "But after hearing a talk about the conscience, I confessed my sin to my wife and elders. after that, I finally felt relief, but I was still weighed down by what I had done. The elders reminded me that Jehovah had not rejected me. He disciplines us because he loves us. Their kind words reached my heart and helped me to reset my thinking." Today, Arthur serves as a pioneer and a ministerial servant. How comforting it is to know that Jehovah shows us mercy we are repentant!

Next time: JEHOVAH GIVES US HOPE

From the jw.org publications