One of my favorite Christian influencers, Phylicia Masonheimer, chooses a “word for the year” instead of a resolution. This year, my word is “simple”– focusing on the essentials–the things that are absolutely necessary. 

Today is a Sunday and as I parked my car in front of my apartment, I felt Holy Spirit prompting me to take a walk before going inside. In my singlehood and in the current season I am in, I can often feel lonely, so the Lord is walking me through it by teaching me to build a deeper intimacy with him. I believe this walk was Him beckoning me to spend some time with Him. 

As I started walking, I simply asked God what simplicity meant to Him. What came to my mind is what I said above, a focus on the essentials and the things that are absolutely necessary.

So I asked him, what things are necessary? What came to my mind were different things like food, a place to sleep, community, and enough clothing. I soon realized how many things in my life are not necessary. (Like the milk tea I was drinking) They aren’t things I need; they are simply things I desire. After that realization, He brought to mind virtues like love and the one virtue that stuck out to me the most was forgiveness. 

Human beings need forgiveness. 

This revelation gently wowed me because it is so true. It also illuminated Matthew 9:5-8 for me:

[Mat 9:2-8 NLT] 2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” 3 But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?” 4 Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? 6 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!” 7 And the man jumped up and went home! 8 Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen. And they praised God for sending a man with such great authority.

Jesus asks such an interesting question. “Is it easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?” That question would always stump me because I think both are difficult to believe but I don’t know which one is easier to say. 

Upon googling this verse, various snippets said that it is easier to say ‘Your sins are forgiven’ because anyone could say it since there is no viable evidence. But I wonder, is it easier to say just because it can’t be seen? Perhaps it is more difficult to say for the simple fact that it is difficult to believe and difficult to prove. 

Many, and I would even argue, most humans struggle to believe they are loved and accepted regardless of what they do. Many, and I would even argue, most humans struggle to let go of toxic guilt and shame. Personally, it has taken years for me to truly believe the truth of 1 John 1:9. 

So perhaps the paralyzed man believed that it was easier for him to be physical healed, having heard that Jesus was a healer and mostly likely having seen other’s that experienced Jesus’ miracles. His friends certainly believed based on the evidence of their faith in bringing him to Jesus. And yet, he was brought for a physical healing but he received spiritual healing and restoration in his relationship with God first. I don’t think he was expecting that. 

I digress.

The point I am trying to make is that the paralyzed man needed spiritual healing more than he needed physical healing. The same goes for all of humanity. Forgiveness is an essential human need. 

Why is Forgiveness An Essential Human Need? 

When a person does wrong, their transgression causes a rift in their connection with the person they wronged. And a lack of significant connection kills the soul. Relationships (and souls, for that matter) are restored when forgiveness is given.

We’ve all wrecked our relationship with God and as a result, have wrecked our souls. But we need, desperately need, connection with Him. Hence the reason for Jesus’ sacrifice and His forgiveness. His sacrifice enabled us to receive our souls’ most basic need. 

I remember betraying a friend. It took me a while to confess my betrayal to her but when I did and she forgave me, my chest felt lighter and I felt freer. My soul was feather-light and aren’t our souls meant to fly?

After almost 11 years of Jesus being Lord of my life, I’m finally starting to see just how important forgiveness is. Whether we see palpable evidence of its’ reality, the truth of the matter is the forgiveness that Christ extends eradicates the sludge and mud of sin that weighs down our souls.

We desperately need it. 

On my walk, God continued to reveal to me that yes, our sins have consequences that impact our circumstances and this can be difficult to live with. Yet, the security is in this: the foundational, essential need for intimacy and relationship with the Father is secured. Because of this, we can deal with the consequences our sinful actions have inflicted upon our circumstances. 

So I’m learning when I sin, yeah, I need to fess up and take responsibility. I need to make amends, which can be scary. But, because of Christ, I can walk boldly in the age-old truth of 1 John 1:9: 

[1Jo 1:9 NLT] 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

He is just to forgive, and thus, my soul is content with just forgiveness.

May yours be so too, friend. 

Love and Light, 

Kourtney Naomi