2 Chronicles 7: 14

There are so many people who seem to have a hard time believing that God will forgive them for their sins. They seem to think that their sins are too big to be forgiven, or that they may even shock God by confessing their biggest and worst to Him, forgetting of course, that He already knows! Unfortunately for us, Satan (who happens to have plenty of experience in this area) spots us a mile off and mounts shame onto us as well as our own guilt.

Did you notice the difference of words used in that sentence? Guilt is what we feel after sin, a feeling that has its rightful place in the way that it
motivates us to say sorry. Shame is what Satan wants us to continually feel; to hide our faces from God and not turn back to Him.

Don't get me wrong now. God's forgiveness is conditional. 'If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and
turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin.' (2 Chron 7:14). He allows us to feel the guilt that we naturally feel after sin, so that we say sorry. And that is His one and only condition; being sorry. This encompasses all that is listed in 2 Chronicles 7. That's it. That's how simple it is. No complications. No other rules or conditions. You just go to Him as you are, turn your heart towards Him, and say sorry. Then the slate is clean. No need for any more guilt, and certainly no more shame. So why bother to carry guilt around, thinking God won't forgive you? God doesn't want you to carry the guilt around for a day, hour, or minute longer than you have to. He's ready now, to forgive and forget (Jeremiah 31:34b, Psalm 103:12).

God's forgiveness is conditional. But, there's only one, simple, condition. Being sorry. Shed your mind of the idea that you need to clean yourself before you go and get sorted with God. That's His job. Just fulfil that one, simple condition and let God fulfil the promise of His forgiveness that has been enabled through the cross.