What Is Forgiveness?

What Is Forgiveness?	Next Chapter: What Is Friendship?
I have received a great deal of enjoyment and many insights from reading Adrian Plass' book The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass (Age 37½) 7. The following is one short section that really encouraged me a great deal. I hope it encourages you too. Mrs. Flushpool asked the first question. She said, "I find it strange, reverend… that on your previous visit you barely mentioned the judgment of God on sin committed in the natural. Perhaps you do not feel sinful?" Father John blinked. "Oh, I’m a rat bag," he declared, with enthusiasm, "but I do feel so very forgiven. You see, God’s crazy about me, just as he’s crazy about you. Salvation was his idea you know—not ours." He pointed at Mrs. Flushpool. "If you were to commit a foul sin with every person in your street, and then you said to God ‘I really am honestly and sincerely most awfully sorry,’ he would say, ‘Great! Let’s start all over again.’ Marvelous, isn’t it?" … Leonard Thynn leaned across and whispered in my ear, "He knows a different God to the one I do. His God’s nice!" When God says, "Let’s start all over again" He means just that. Our personal "Sin List" is as empty as the list of a new born child.
He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve. 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 rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west. (Psalm 103:10-12 NLT)
Lord, I really am honestly and sincerely most awfully sorry for all my sins. Please forgive me. Amen
Questions for consideration... Is there something in my life I feel is unforgivable? How do I think God would react if I told Him about it and asked His forgiveness? How would I feel if He did forgive me? Am I hanging on to my sin because I know what it feels like and I don't know what God's forgiveness will feel like?