clearing my conscience seeking counsel

[ratgibson]

In the Bible i understand a christian must repay and restore whatever it was they committed as wrong and to make things right.....right?

well its no suprise that i used to be a pretty bad thief. shoplifting and whatnot. its spans years even up until last year when i got saved.

anyways, i am making a list of all the stores i stole from, the music and videos i pirated, etc and so forth and i plan to make it right with all of them. just yesterday i started by walking into dollar general and asked how i could make it right for stealing a bottle of medicine for my girlfriend in almost 4 years ago. they were stunned of course and made me pay for the medicine i thought i took (which brand i dont recall, only her ailment i needed it for) and i went on my way almost crying for some reason.

anyways....the big one for me....there are illegal things ive done to hurt/offend people i dont know and honestly will probably never meet or see or even know the names of until probably after i die.....ive asked God to forgive me of such sins and yet....im torn because i want to know how to make it right with those i hurt. but really it seems to be impossible to do so. what do i do?

[Byblos]

In the Bible i understand a christian must repay and restore whatever it was they committed as wrong and to make things right.....right?

well its no suprise that i used to be a pretty bad thief. shoplifting and whatnot. its spans years even up until last year when i got saved.

anyways, i am making a list of all the stores i stole from, the music and videos i pirated, etc and so forth and i plan to make it right with all of them. just yesterday i started by walking into dollar general and asked how i could make it right for stealing a bottle of medicine for my girlfriend in almost 4 years ago. they were stunned of course and made me pay for the medicine i thought i took (which brand i dont recall, only her ailment i needed it for) and i went on my way almost crying for some reason.

anyways....the big one for me....there are illegal things ive done to hurt/offend people i dont know and honestly will probably never meet or see or even know the names of until probably after i die.....ive asked God to forgive me of such sins and yet....im torn because i want to know how to make it right with those i hurt. but really it seems to be impossible to do so. what do i do?

Pay it forward my friend, pay it forward.

[Gman]

anyways....the big one for me....there are illegal things ive done to hurt/offend people i dont know and honestly will probably never meet or see or even know the names of until probably after i die.....ive asked God to forgive me of such sins and yet....im torn because i want to know how to make it right with those i hurt. but really it seems to be impossible to do so. what do i do?

Wow, this is a rare testimony.. The bigger message here is that you are repentant. You are making wise choices that will effect your eternity. We live in a temporary life, and it seems that you have decided to change the course. I don't really know what to tell you, but I believe it will be something God will reveal to you some day. I think prayer is a good start...

[ratgibson]

i really still dont know what to do....i thought about turning myself into the cops but honestly jail wont fix anything....it wont restore anything or make it right. the people i hurt wont even know i went to jail or that im sorry. ive thought of ways i could try and make it right outside of jail and nothing is clicking....i really hope i can see these people maybe in the after life and be given a chance to say im truly sorry for what ive done...its really all i can think of right now.....

i dunno.....

gonna keep praying, gonna try and make everything else right until something is revealed to me about these particular situations.....

[Gman]

i really still dont know what to do....i thought about turning myself into the cops but honestly jail wont fix anything....it wont restore anything or make it right. the people i hurt wont even know i went to jail or that im sorry. ive thought of ways i could try and make it right outside of jail and nothing is clicking....i really hope i can see these people maybe in the after life and be given a chance to say im truly sorry for what ive done...its really all i can think of right now.....

i dunno.....

gonna keep praying, gonna try and make everything else right until something is revealed to me about these particular situations.....

I think you are on the right track.. Don't get discouraged. I think confession is a good start. Your penance is a different story though. It's a journey that many times we have to take by ourselves.. With God's help of course.

All I can tell you is that I feel a LOT better after I went to a place where I ripped off those people and told them what I did. Basically they shrugged it off, even after I told them that I would be happy to pay it off. Other personal sins like fornication I confessed to God and other believers..

Confession is very good for the soul. It cleans it out, like the renewing of your mind. Things become new again.. Like becoming reborn again.

Just stay the course and be open to what God has to reveal to you..

One of my favorite all time movies was "The Mission" it gave me great insight into the remission of sins.

Blessings..

[cslewislover]

i really still dont know what to do....i thought about turning myself into the cops but honestly jail wont fix anything....it wont restore anything or make it right. the people i hurt wont even know i went to jail or that im sorry. ive thought of ways i could try and make it right outside of jail and nothing is clicking....i really hope i can see these people maybe in the after life and be given a chance to say im truly sorry for what ive done...its really all i can think of right now.....

i dunno.....

gonna keep praying, gonna try and make everything else right until something is revealed to me about these particular situations.....

I think it's just something you need to go through right now. You're right about jail - there would be no point since it wouldn't do you or anyone else any good. What you're going through now is good, like housecleaning. Just hang in there.

[DannyM]

i really still dont know what to do....i thought about turning myself into the cops but honestly jail wont fix anything....it wont restore anything or make it right. the people i hurt wont even know i went to jail or that im sorry. ive thought of ways i could try and make it right outside of jail and nothing is clicking....i really hope i can see these people maybe in the after life and be given a chance to say im truly sorry for what ive done...its really all i can think of right now.....

i dunno.....

gonna keep praying, gonna try and make everything else right until something is revealed to me about these particular situations.....

Hey, Ratgibson, your human nature is consuming you with guilt. If this is really an issue for you, and you want to make things right with your previous victims, then do so if it's possible. If it's not possible, please try not to worry. God knows how repentant you are, and justice is always served at God's door. Once you're in the afterlife, all is forgotten, and these people will embrace you. God is on your side. Try to believe that and let this load fall off your back. Do what you can, try not to fret about what you cannot do. And live in peace and the love of God.

[B. W.]

ratgibson,

In John 8:3-11 a woman was brought forth to Jesus who was caught in a great sin. The crowd was testing Jesus and wanted to stone this woman to death as well. Jesus bent down before the crowd and the woman drawing a line in the sand. He said to the crowd: "He who is without sin cast the first stone."

The crowd individual by individual became convicted and went away. No stones were cast. Instead Jesus said something to this woman that we all need to hear, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more."

Sometimes we are our own worst enemy. We cast stones at ourselves and at times seek others to help collect for us the stones needed to cast. Doing this misses the point and power of the gospel. Jesus forgave you of you transgressions when you came to Christ; therefore, what Jesus said to that woman long ago also applies here as well, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more."

In other words, turn around and stop doing all those things you mentioned. You may never be able to make the repayments of the kind you mentioned. Neither could that woman make any repayments either. Often, we have to leave such matters in the Lord's hands. For now draw near to God.

What's required is simply talk to the Lord about it while you turn away and learn to stop doing all those old habits of sin you mentioned. The Lord will make the reparations for you. Trust him and seek him to empower you to turn away from whatever sin that so easily besets you and walk the 1 John 1:8-9 way. In this you'll find strength.
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[jlay]

rat,

God looks at the heart, and your heart looks on course too me. I'm going to divert from my friend B.W. here for a moment. I would definately try to right any wrong that is within your power. But do this knowing that Christ saved you and justified you the moment you trusted in Him as Lord and savior. So, you can now work through this process of restoration in VICTORY. Restoring does not make you more forgiven. You don't restore to be forgiven, but you restore because you are forgiven. B.W. sites the woman, but the person who comes to my mind is Zacchaeus.

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."

Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:8-10

Jesus didnt' say, "no don't do that." This was a sign of the real work that had occurred in the heart. This was a sign. (Not tongues btw) Zacchaeus had been restored and now he also wanted to be a restorer. Nothing wrong with that. But don't let your own feelings confuse the fact that you are forgiven. Washed clean. The old is gone, all things are made new. You can not add to the work that Jesus accomplished on the cross. Remember, go forward in victory.

[ageofknowledge]

Very insightful B.W. and jlay.