Looking for forgiveness............?

Question

I recently started hanging out with some friends that are really into drinking, going to clubs and having lots of premarital sex anywhere they can get it. I promised myself that I wouldn't get involved with any of this and would just party with them.
Regrettably, I did start to participate in some of these behaviours and I am now overwhelmed with immense guilt. How do I forgive myself? How do I get forgiveness from God?
How can I even ask you people to forgive me?
I'm so ashamed of myself....please give me REAL advice, that would be so appreciated!!! Thank you.

Answer 1

distance yourself from the evils you want to get away from. Concentrate on yourself and what is most important to you. Do this and time will heal your heart. God will forgive you if you believe you are turning yourself around for the good. ;)

Answer 2

Ok first of all, it's none of anyone's business what you do except God's and your parents maybe.
So you don't need to be forgiven by people on Yahoo.
Asking God for forgiveness involves just you telling Him how you feel and that you are sorry for what you did. He will forgive you IF your repentance is genuine. And HE knows if it is or it isn't. Genuine repentance means that you make a change in your life and stop doing the thing you're repenting from. In your case, you ditch the friends that are encouraging unhealthy behavior and find new friends that encourage you to live a pure life. WARNING!
Ditching your old friends and not finding new ones is asking for trouble, because you need friends, so if you don't have any, you'll go back to the old life. So if you throw out the bad stuff from your life, you need to fill your life with good stuff otherwise the bad stuff will wiggle its way back into your life.
Find a good church and get involved there. You will find friends there.
Warning #2 DO NOT LET GUILT MAKE YOU RUN IN CIRCLES!
Guilt has a way of causing us to repeat old behaviors. it works like this:
1)You do something that feels good but is a bad thing.
2)You feel guilty.
3)You want the bad feelings to go away, so you look for something to do that feels good.
4)You remember that it felt good to do that last thing.
5)You do it again
6)You feel guilty again.
This cycle goes on forever if you don't break it. And it can lead to bad mental problems, so don't play with guilt. Once you asked forgiveness and got rid of the source of the problem (your old friends) you are automatically forgiven. Guaranteed!. So you don't need to feel guilty anymore.
If you fall and make a mistake, don't let guilt take hold. Just get up and start over. Just say I'm sorry, I messed up again, and God understands.
The other thing to do is to find a more mature person to mentor you. At your age it sounds like it would be best if it is someone who is the same sex as you. Make sure this person is a godly person and has their life figured out solid.
You can send me a message if you want more help.

Answer 3

First, the Bible says nothing about "forgiving yourself". No man can forgive sins but God alone. Scripture is clear about this.

I believe God is trying to tell you something. It's not a question of obtaining "a pass" so that you will feel better, but rather that you are feeling a positional dissatisfaction--that you have an emptiness inside that you were trying to fill with partying with your friends. It did not work, did it? It never does. It is always a temporary distraction. So let's go deeper than just asking for forgiveness as a band aid solution. Let's find some REAL healing... some eternal healing.

First, let us define what "sin" is. It is an old English word in archery that means "missed the mark". If you did not hit the bullseye, you were called a "sinner". Now there are many sins (little s and plural) but there is only one Sin (capitol S and singular). Sin is a positional state that separates you from God. When Christ died, He saved us from Sin. That is, the positional state of being "in Sin" has been eliminated. Now do we continue to commit sins? Yes. It is hard to walk in this world and not get your feet dirty. 1 John 1:8 states,

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

However, now, because of Jesus, we can have a daily cleansing...

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

We are now clean.

A good way to look at this is you deciding to adopt an orphan. You do the legal stuff and the child is no longer an orphan but your son or daughter. This is what Jesus did on the cross. Allowed us to become adopted into the family of God.

Romans 8:15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

Now, does your new child play in the mud and get dirty? Yes. That is what hoses and bath tubs are for. Is he/she still your child? Yes. Do they do things wrong and need discipline? Of course! Are they still your child? Yes.

Answer 4

Just because you became Christian does not mean the temptations will stop. They will come.
Look ahead to see where you walk so you are less likely to trip up.
Ask God to forgive you. He will. Repentence is not just turning TO God, but also TURNING AWAY from sin.
There's really a ton of things to be said here...but do not worry about how others see you, you concern yourself with God.
Everyone slips up.
If it were to happen again, I'd say there's something more going on. But be patient with yourself, and resolve to do better.
Again, read your Bible. It's the food (gives understanding and growth) you now need.
By the way, this guilt you feel shows you have a consience towards God. That's a good thing.
Hardest lessons learned aren't easily forgotten ones.
Take care.

Answer 5

I'm always puzzled by this question from believers whose religion provides a get out of hell free card and whose god forgives for the asking.

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

I don't know what could be simpler. You're confessing to a world full of strangers and asking their forgiveness as though that changes anything. If you think you've offended God, the process above is simple: you confess- god forgives. You don't have to keep confessing or do anything to be cleansed. God does that. The most salient benefit of your faith is that grace is free and unlimited. Mostly when I've seen Christians with this issue, the problem is not God forgiving them, but forgiving themselves, and that is mostly because they think they deserve to be punished, God won't do it, so they do it to themselves. Is that what you really want? Because as I see it the only advantage the Christian has is their court judgements are already paid and expunged. Whatever you're feeling, it's you doing it to you.

Answer 6

Wow, I never thought someone would feel guilty about these things. I guess the first thing that comes to my mind is that once you ask for forgiveness you are automatically forgiven. The next step is to move on and commit yourself to your beliefs. If however, this is just really an internal struggle, and some part of you does not want to give these things up... then what can I say? I smoke cigarettes. That is not good for me. But don't I have the right to do things that are bad for me, if they make me feel good? I think sometimes happiness is not being perfect but having or doing what you want.

Answer 7

Seek God's forgiveness, with a repentent heart- and turn away from sinning, follow Him-- find some friends who are believers and fellowship with them. As the bible says "what has light to do with darkness?" they do not go hand in hand....

2 Corinthians 6:14
[ Do Not Be Yoked With Unbelievers ] Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

Ephesians 5:8
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.

God is faithful to forgive you, just pray and ask for His forgiveness, He desires that from you and has a great plan for you! He works all things together for the good of those who love him! (Romans 8)

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Answer 8

Forgiveness if freely offered to all who will humbly come before the throne of (God's) grace and admit their guilt and need to him. There are many Bible verses dealing with this issue, and I assure you the Lord (not to mention me) is glad that you are pondering how to get forgiveness and a clear heart. Here are a few, and a link to look up more:

2 Corinthians 4:2 (King James Version)

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

James 4:8

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%203:16&version=9

Answer 9

listen sweetie the only person you have to answer to is (the BIG GUY up there) and for that if your sincere just ask, if you know anything about him you know that asking for forgiveness is allllll you need to do .... now as for yourself and how you feel EVERYONE does things they are not proud of right.. but we put them in the past and that is where they should stay... chalk it up to experience or experiment BUT CHALK IT UP... LET IT GO... AND MOVE ON continue now doing the right thing and you'll be OK... and if you cant try talking to someone a pastor or a doctor but Hun DO NOT LET IT CONTROL YOUR LIFE

Answer 10

You only need to forgive yourself and learn. That is what mistakes are for, now you will know that lifestyle isin't right for you and why. Everyone makes mistakes, its part of life and the learning process. You don't need my forgiveness but you have it if that helps. The important thing is that you learned something so that you can make choices that are better for you in the future.

Answer 11

Forgive yourself. That is the most important thing and move on! I forgive you, we all make regrettable mistakes. You do not need the forgiveness FROM a god, or from religious fanatics. If you want peace and have a faith you believe in, then pray. BUT DO NOT FEEL ASHAMED. YOU HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING WRONG!!!