Asking God for forgiveness of sins is an important aspect of daily life. When asking for forgiveness, admit the mistakes you have made and tell God that you are sorry that you have sinned. For that, prostrate before God while praying as taught in the Bible, asking for forgiveness of sins, and believing that God has forgiven you. Once forgiven, do not sin again and live a new life.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Confessing
Step 1. State and admit what you have done
Before asking for forgiveness, state what you did and admit that you were wrong. If you feel guilty, you may want to make excuses or deny that you did something wrong. Forgiveness is impossible if you don't plead guilty.
- A person who thinks, "I shouldn't have lied, but it's just a small lie and I have a good reason" is actually justifying himself, rather than admitting his fault.
- Start by praying, "Lord, I took my sister's Rp. 50,000 without asking her". Through this statement, you have said that the action was wrong (stealing) and was responsible without making excuses.
Step 2. Tell God that you know what you did wrong
After stating your action, make sure you admit it was a mistake. It may happen, you've said the action taken, but do not consider it as a wrong thing. The confession is useless if you don't feel guilty.
You have to admit that what you are doing is a sin that displeases God. For example, a person who does not feel guilty when he confesses to God that he is having an affair with a co-worker does not get forgiveness of sins
Step 3. Express regret that you did something wrong
It's not enough to admit what you did and feel guilty. You must also ask God for forgiveness. Feel genuine regret that you were wrong and then express your regret through the words you say to God. You must be truly sorry when you state that you are guilty.
- Asking for forgiveness of sins from God is different from asking for forgiveness that is not sincere to your brother. You must make your request sincerely and wholeheartedly.
- For example, you could say to God, "I realize that I've sinned and I really feel guilty. I'm so sorry that I ruined my relationship with You by not obeying Your commands."
Part 2 of 3: Asking for Forgiveness
Step 1. Pray while expressing everything you are feeling
You must be honest when asking for forgiveness. If you believe that God knows your heart, there is no point in lying to God. Express your guilt for sinning and state that separation from God makes you feel sad.
- Pray by saying, "Lord, my stomach hurts because I have made you suffer".
- Instead of praying silently, pray out loud so that you focus on what you are thinking.
Step 2. Use Scripture when praying
God's Word is powerful and He asks you to use it when you talk to Him. The Scriptures teach how to speak to God because the words in the Scriptures come from God. In order to pray with meaningful words, look for verses that explain how to ask God for forgiveness by reading the Bible or through the internet.
- Look for the verses Romans 6:23, John 3:16, 1 John 2:2 and then say it while praying. This verse describes forgiveness. The New Testament contains the truth about forgiveness.
- Put your own words together and then look for the verse that gives you the understanding of forgiveness you want to know. Read Scripture verses word for word or paraphrase to make it easier to understand.
Step 3. Ask God to forgive your actions
Just as you would with other people, after expressing regret, ask God to forgive you. For that, you only need to ask forgiveness from God through Jesus Christ and believe that He will forgive you, there is no special prayer.
- For example, say to God, "While talking to a friend, I deny that I know You, Lord. I am guilty and cowardly for doing this. I regret not telling me Your immense Love. Lord, forgive my weakness."
- You don't have to beg, beg for mercy, or beg over and over again. Make a request only once with a sincere heart.
Step 4. Tell God that you believe He has forgiven you
Faith and forgiveness are two things that cannot be separated. Therefore, there is no point in asking God for forgiveness, but not believing that He will forgive you. God says that if you ask Him to forgive you, He will surely forgive you. Tell yourself and God that you believe in Him.
- 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Say and believe the verse while praying to God.
- Remember that sins that have been forgiven will be forgotten. Hebrews 8:12 says, "For I will have mercy on their iniquities and remember their sins no more."
Part 3 of 3: Living a New Life
Step 1. Apologize to the person who was hurt by your actions
Sin breaks your relationship with God and hurts others. You have to apologize to him even though God has forgiven you. Tell him you're sorry you hurt him and hope he'll forgive you.
- Remember that you cannot force or demand that others forgive you. Maybe he accepts your regrets and wants to forgive you, but maybe he doesn't. Don't insist if he refuses to forgive you because you can't change other people.
- After expressing regret and apologizing, free yourself from guilt. Even if he doesn't want to forgive you, at least you're trying to mend the relationship.
Step 2. Repent
After God has forgiven your sins and someone else has forgiven you, stay away from the sinful act. Once forgiven, never sin again.
- Remember that you can sin again, but you must declare that you are repentant. The only way to prevent sin is to tell yourself that you won't do it again.
- Acts 2:38 is very helpful in helping you change. This verse says, "Repent and be baptized each one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit".
- In order to stay close to God, asking for forgiveness is as important as leaving sinful deeds.
Step 3. Try not to make the same mistake
One of the goals of following Jesus is to stay away from sin and this requires a strong commitment. You may not stop sinning right away, but you will become stronger if you keep trying. In Matthew 5:48, "Therefore you must be perfect, just as your Father who is in heaven is perfect." This is the ultimate goal that you must achieve.
- Find someone who can help you avoid sin. Read the Bible to overcome temptation. Remember that sin only makes you suffer and this is not necessary.
- Setting aside time to read the Bible, pray to God, and discuss with other Christians is an important aspect of living a holy life.
