What Does the Bible Say About Self Forgiveness and Giving Your Problems to God?

homelesslongisland
Oct 9, 2025
2 min read

Updated: Oct 26, 2025

Summary

The Bible affirms that true forgiveness comes from God through confession and repentance, not from self-effort. Believers are called to trust God fully, casting their anxieties on Him and relying on His grace and care. This trust leads to peace and healing, as God carries their burdens and renews them.

Forgiveness and trusting God with our problems are central themes in the Bible, emphasizing that God alone fully forgives sin and cares for those who entrust their burdens to Him. The Bible does not explicitly command us to "forgive ourselves" but teaches that true forgiveness comes through confessing to God and accepting His grace. Believers are encouraged to cast their anxieties on God and trust Him to carry their burdens, finding peace in His faithfulness.

What Does the Bible Say About Self Forgiveness and Giving Your Problems to God?

Self Forgiveness According to the Bible

The Bible teaches that forgiveness comes from God when we confess our sins and repent, rather than from our own efforts to forgive ourselves. Verses such as 1 John 1:9 state, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" This shows that God’s forgiveness fully covers our guilt and wrongdoing.

Other verses, like Proverbs 28:13 and Psalm 32:5, emphasize the importance of admitting sins rather than hiding them, which opens the door for God’s mercy. The Bible affirms that believers become a new creation in Christ, with the past forgiven and forgotten (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Importantly, some biblical teachings caution against relying on self-forgiveness as if we have the authority to absolve ourselves. Jesus paid the full price for our sins on the cross (Isaiah 53:4-6), so striving to forgive ourselves can be mistaken. Instead, we are called to accept God’s complete forgiveness and cleansing

Giving Your Problems to God

The Bible vividly encourages trusting God with all your worries and struggles. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxieties on Him, because He cares for you" Trusting God means releasing control of our fears and problems to Him, grounded in faith that He is sovereign, loving, and cares deeply for us (Isaiah 26:3-4; Matthew 6:25-34)

Jesus invites us in Matthew 11:28 to come to Him for rest and relief, showing God’s heart to carry our burdens. Trust is not passive but an active faith that God works all things for good (Romans 8:28) even when life seems difficult or confusing