The Process and Importance of Ongoing Forgiveness

Forgiveness is both an event and a continuous process that requires ongoing honesty, repentance, and love in our relationship with God. The metaphor of foot washing illustrates that while a definitive act of forgiveness occurs through Jesus, human relationships necessitate regular expressions of forgiveness. Just as we may falter in commitments made to loved ones, we tend to accumulate 'dirt' in our spiritual walk and need to seek forgiveness daily. Feelings of shame might cause a person to withdraw from God, but such shame is counterproductive and driven by negativity. Instead, one is encouraged to approach God openly to seek forgiveness, reinforcing that God is always willing to cleanse and restore those who turn to Him.