20 Bible Verses on Forgiving Yourself

When I was younger, I was deeply involved in a sinful lifestyle. I spent my days seeking happiness in anything but God. I mocked Jesus and made fun of Christians. 

I didn’t ask for His forgiveness. And I certainly didn’t deserve it. 

But God knew in my darkest moment, that the love of His light was what I needed the most.

And it was because He loved me when I least deserved it, that I finally confessed my sin and fell on my knees before Him asking to be forgiven. 

But the interesting thing is . . . even after experiencing His amazing grace . . . I still sometimes struggle to forgive myself. 

It seems kind of silly when I type it out. 

But it’s true. 

However, meditating on God’s Word has been helping me learn how to live forgiven.

The following 20 verses show what God says about forgiving yourself in His Holy Word.

These Bible verses on forgiving yourself are great for meditating on whenever we find ourselves struggling with guilt, shame, and regret. 

Because they tell us what the Bible says about being forgiven.

Bible Verses About Making Mistakes and Forgiveness 

How do I forgive myself for past sins?

This is a question we all struggle with at some point in our lives. Especially when we think about some of our bigger sins. The skeletons we bury deep in our closets. The memories that cause our cheeks to burn with shame.  

But the Bible is clear that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) Which is why Christ came to die for us and make a way for us to be forgiven.  

We just have to repent.

(Which simply means to change your mind. At one point you were okay with your actions. When you repent you change your mind and see your actions as what they really are . . . a sin.)  

Then we confess our sins to God. And accept His forgiveness. 

These Bible verses on making mistakes and forgiveness are perfect reminders of how God forgives us.

1) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

-1 John 1:9 NIV

2) “Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me— now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.”

-Psalm 51:7-10 NLT

 3) “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

-Hebrews 8:12 NIV

4) “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

-Isaiah 43:25 NIV

5) “For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.”

-Colossians 1:13-14 NLT

Bible Verses to Help You Forgive Yourself 

How can a person forgive themselves?

Start by meditating on the following scriptures. These beautiful bible verses to help you forgive yourself will remind you that since God has forgiven you there is no reason you can’t forgive yourself.  

6) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

-John 3:16-17 NIV

7) “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

-Hebrews 8:12 NIV

8) “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us.”

-Ephesians 1:7-8a NIV

9) “Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior].”

-Romans 8:1 AMP

10) “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”

-Isaiah 1:18 ESV

Psalms for Forgiving Yourself 

I love the psalms because they are so honest and real. Many of the psalms were written by King David. A man who beat a giant, trusted God, and became the King of Israel.  

But he also slept with his best friend’s wife. And when she got pregnant, he had his friend murdered and then married her to try and cover up his sin.  (2 Samuel 11)

David had many reasons to feel guilt and shame. And yet, because he chose to repent and run to God for forgiveness, he became known as a man after God’s own heart.  

Reflecting on these psalms for forgiving yourself reminds us that God forgives ALL sins.

And by accepting His forgiveness, He can turn your entire life around.  

11) “Lord, if you kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? But you offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear you.”

-Psalm 103:3-4 NLT

12) “Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.”

-Psalm 32:1 NIV

13) “Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.”

-Psalm 65:3 NLT

14) “For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our sins, sending them away, completely letting them go forever and ever]; And abundant in loving kindness and overflowing in mercy to all those who call upon You.”

-Psalm 86:5 AMP

15) “For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”

-Psalm 103:11-13 NLT

Scriptures About Forgiveness and Moving On 

Meditating on the following Scriptures will help you forgive yourself and move on. Which is exactly what Jesus wants you to do. He went to the cross to make a way for you to be forgiven.  

Honor His sacrifice by forgiving yourself and moving forward into God’s glorious future for you.  

16) “Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

-Philippians 3:12-14 ESV

17) “And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

-Romans 5:5 ESV

18) “Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.”

-1 Peter 1:13b NLT

19) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

-Isaiah 43:18 NIV

20) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

-2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Forgiving Yourself

The words Jesus spoke on the cross which shock me the most are, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” 

It’s crazy to think Jesus was willing to forgive the people who had just crucified him. Who mocked him. And laughed at Him. 

He forgave them even though they didn’t ask for it. He forgave them even though they didn’t deserve it. 

Even in the midst of His great pain . . . He forgave. 

Jesus knew He was up there on the cross at that very moment paying for the sins they were currently committing . . . And He STILL chose to forgive them. 

That is amazing grace. 

That is reckless, undeserved love. 

And as I ponder the fact that the King of the Universe forgave those men for everything. That He has forgiven ME . . . for everything.  

Well, I begin to realize that while it may be hard to do . . . with His help, I can forgive me, too.  

If you found this encouraging, then please share!

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• 4 Steps to Learning How to Forgive Yourself
• Can We Mess Things Up For God?