#askhimforhelp

There is no limit to how many time God forgives us, if we turn to him in repentance.

“Then Peter came and said to Him, “ Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “ I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22

Though it may seem to us that we are falling into the same sin over and over again, much like the brother in Christ in Jesus' example, every time we ask forgiveness, Jesus will grant it. This seems strange by human standards. After all, if a neighbor does the same thing to us over and over again, it is very hard to trust their sincerity past the first couple of times. Yet God, unlike us, can see the heart. If we acknowledge our sin, confess it, and repent of it, He will forgive. That is regardless of whether or not we later stumble in the same sin.  

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9

  This does not mean, however, that we should become complacent in sin, or use grace as a license to sin.

  "What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" Rom 6:15-16

  Maturing in Christ is a process (II Pet 1:3-11). We should strive daily to follow God and walk in obedience. As we walk by the Spirit, we will put to death the deeds of the flesh. (Rom 8:12-14)

  "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." Rom 12:1-2

  The measure we should use for evaluation, then, is not the number of times we stumble, but where our direction/heading is, and if we are growing in our faith. That is, are we seeking God, our seeking the world or pleasure? Are we maturing over time, or stagnating, even backsliding in our faith?  

It is easy to fall into Satan's lie that we are 'failures', or don't 'deserve' to have God forgive us, if we stumble more than once in the same sin. Yet none of us deserve God's grace and mercy; it is freely given. Furthermore, as God works all things out for good for those who love Him, we forgive others as we see how God has forgiven us (Luke 7:47, Matt 6:12). We then grow in empathy and love.