[[-SOAP HUB]] | [[-Psalm Overview]] | [[Psalm 86]] ## Title: God is Ready to Forgive ## Scripture: (Psalm 86:5) “Certainly, O Lord, you are kind and forgiving, and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.” (NET) ## Observation: When someone gets hurt physically or emotionally, most of us tend to isolate ourselves. When we feel wounded, we go into self-protection mode. This is true in relationships. Most people do not react well when they realize they have hurt someone else. Instead of reaching out to make things right, we feel awkward and step away. If left unchecked, this can lead to distance and, eventually, to the loss of relationship. If we are not careful, we can do the same with God. When we sin against the Lord, we should be ready to run back to Him. However, we often isolate ourselves. We create distance because we knew we should have done one thing and, instead, did something else. Would we still do that if we realized how much the Lord loves us? Would we still hide if we realized that the Lord was there when we sinned and that, while the sin is not okay, He is ready to forgive? How much peace we often forfeit from our own souls, because we try to carry the weight of sin alone. Why not give it to God? He is ready to forgive. ## Application: Get honest with God today. Tell Him about it all and realize we don’t have to earn His forgiveness. It is freely given. ## Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for being willing to forgive us no matter how many times we mess up.