Show me your ways, Lord,  teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are not of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, Lord, are good.

Psalm 25: 4-7

When I looked this verse up in The Inspirational Study Bible, there was an excerpt from Joni Eareckson Tada’s book Diamonds In The Dust that spoke to me. She suggested an exercise to illustrate how we confuse sin with the impression it leaves behind. On a notepad, write the word “sin,” pressing hard. Tear off the top sheet, crumple it, and throw it away. Then, take a pencil and run it back and forth over the next page. The word “sin” can be seen, even when the writing is gone. When God forgives our sin, it is crumpled up and thrown away; when we continue to think about it, we are no longer reacting to the sin itself- only the impression it left behind. She tells us we, like David, can cry out “I can’t forget my scars, it seems, Lord. But you have forgotten their cause. Look upon me with loving, kind eyes.”

If God forgets our sin, why do we hold onto it for so long? We carry it around like a heavy knapsack (I’ve always wanted to use that word) and allow that forgiven sin to weigh us down. God has emptied our knapsacks of that sin, but we are more comfortable carrying that load that we fill it back up with our regrets, our shame. What we need is for God to teach us His paths, His truth, and His mercy and love, so that we can forgive ourselves and teach others to do the same. Perhaps this is what Jesus means when he said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

Lord, teach us your paths. Guide us and teach us for our hope is and always will be with you. We ask you to remember us according to your love, and not our shame. Forgive us for our sins, Lord, and then help us to forget those burdens, like you have. Encourage us to come to you when we are weary, so we can find rest for our souls and embrace your easy yoke and light burdens. In Jesus’ name. Amen.