How to Forgive Yourself | Come Paint With Me | Art Vlog

What if I told you that the past mistake that you're still holding on to isn't yours to carry anymore? How would you begin to live your life knowing that God's forgiveness truly erased your past mistakes? Are you still punishing yourself for something God has already forgiven you for? For a lot of people, the hardest part isn't believing that God forgives, it's believing that forgiveness actually applies to them. It's easy to accept grace and theory, but much harder to live like the past no longer has authority over the present. So instead of moving forward, life becomes a quiet cycle of replaying old moments, second-guessing decisions, and carrying a weight that was never meant to be permanent. And without realizing it, guilt slowly turns into an identity, not because God keeps bringing it up, but because we do. We all have moments we wish we can redo. Things we said, choices we made, times we didn't show up as the person we wanted to be. And if you're anything like me, those moments can stick with you longer than they should. We replay them in our heads, we think about what we should have done differently, and we carry the weight of it even when no one else knows what's going on inside of us. That's why learning to forgive ourselves is so important because without forgiveness, we stay stuck in the past and it can block our future. Over time, that weight starts to shape how we see ourselves, it affects the way that we show up in relationships, the risks that we're willing to take, and even the good things we allow ourselves to enjoy. So this is the next painting that I'll be working on, and I'm going to now take a few photos, and after that we're going to figure out by 10 the size for this orange hair. Instead of learning from the past, we end up living in it, letting old mistakes quietly decide what we believe we deserve. And the longer that goes on, the harder it becomes to imagine a future that looks any different, one that isn't filtered through regret, shame, or self-doubt. Guilt doesn't fix anything, it only keeps us looking backward. But when we forgive ourselves, we let go of the grip that those moments have on our hearts. We make space to grow, to create, and to move forward with purpose. The scriptures remind us in 1 John 1 verse 9, it says if we confess our sins, He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. That promise isn't just about God forgiving us, it's about allowing ourselves to receive that grace and live in freedom instead of carrying guilt that weighs us down. When we continue to carry guilt, after forgiveness has already been given, it doesn't make us more humble or more responsible, it just keeps us trapped. God's grace was never meant to be admired from a distance, it was meant to be lived out daily. And learning to walk in that freedom takes intention. It means choosing to agree with what God says about you instead of what your past keeps reminding you of. Over time that choice shifts how you think, it shifts how you move, and how you step into the future. No longer led by shame, but by renewal. I want to take a moment to let you know that I'll be announcing a giveaway very soon. Two lucky email subscribers will win these prints. The first print is from my last video called Faith Over Understanding, and the second print is featured in the video that you're currently watching. So to participate, join my email list at joewashingtongallery.com or click the link in the description box below. This announcement is only for people that have not subscribed to my email list. People that have already subscribed are automatically entered to win. I'll only send emails about what I'm currently working on and any upcoming videos and print releases. Email list subscribers get early access to any new print releases before the general public. Now back to the video. I've had times in my life where I couldn't forgive myself for the things that I've done. I felt hopeless. I felt unsure and shameful. Even when good things were happening, part of me was still living in the past. Maybe you felt that too, carrying something for months or even years that you can't change. But all that energy could be used for your future. Just imagine how much lighter your heart would feel if you let that weight go. Holding on to that weight for so long slowly drains you, even if you don't notice it right away. It affects your motivation. It affects your peace and the way that you see yourself when no one else is around. And the truth is the past can't be rewritten, no matter how long you carry it. But your future is still being shaped every single day. Letting go isn't about forgetting what happened. It's about deciding that your life is worth more than endless self-punishment. And that healing is allowed to begin right now. When you forgive yourself, something beautiful happens. Your mind becomes calmer, your heart feels lighter, and your spirit opens again. You start to feel peace. Forgiving yourself allows God's peace to fill the spaces that guilt once held. And when that peace begins to settle in, life starts to feel different in subtle but powerful ways. You become more patient with yourself. You become more present in your daily moments and more willing to step into new seasons without fear holding you back. Forgiveness creates space, not just for healing, but for purpose. It allows you to move forward with humility and hope. Trusting that God can still do meaningful work through you, even with a past that isn't perfect. Forgiveness helps you take risks again. It helps you to dream again and to create again. Yes, you'll continue to make mistakes, but each setback becomes a stepping stone instead of a chain holding you back. The past doesn't get to decide who you become. That choice belongs to you. So maybe today is the day that you let go. Maybe today is the day that you choose peace. Maybe today is the day that you stop punishing yourself and start building again. Life is too short to live in the past. Your best days are ahead of you and they begin the moment you decide to forgive yourself and keep going. Many years ago, I found myself between a rock and a hard place. I needed to do something that I really didn't want to do, but I did it anyway. It took me a really long time to forgive myself, but as time went on, I realized that God had already forgiven me. I just need to learn to forgive myself. Here's a verse in the Bible, I believe it's 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 10 that says, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them, and he was committed to us the message of reconciliation. That to me says that God's forgiveness isn't something that begins when we ask. It's something that was already made available through Christ.