06/05/2026
A Café Church gathering was held on Sunday, 26/04/2026, with the central theme focusing on forgiveness, particularly self-forgiveness. The discussion was lively, centred around the empowering nature of forgiveness and the challenges faced when forgiving oneself. Many participants noted that forgiving oneself can be harder than forgiving others, as lingering guilt can impede personal peace and freedom from resentment. It was discussed that failing to forgive oneself often leads to repeatedly seeking God's forgiveness and that feelings of secret shame can strain one's relationship with God, creating a sense of separation.
Some attendees expressed that self-forgiveness is sometimes made difficult by those whom we have wronged, yet remembering that God loves and forgives us is crucial. The concept of being saved by grace was highlighted as something that can make self-forgiveness easier. The group encouraged making amends where necessary, suggesting that forgiving oneself can lead to improved relationships with others and greater empathy, especially through prayer.
Christian testimonies regarding self-forgiveness were shared, with some participants feeling that it is easier to forgive others than oneself, even though accepting forgiveness from God might come more readily. There was discussion about secret shame and the fear that God's forgiveness might have limits, but recognising the need for self-forgiveness was seen as valuable. Jesus was presented as the ultimate model of self-forgiveness, having broken social and religious barriers to administer mercy and grace throughout his life.
The group concluded that forgiveness should be a lifelong practice, offering more grace both to others and to oneself. They believed that asking God for forgiveness is essential, acknowledging human flaws. Secret shame was identified as a barrier to knowing God intimately, highlighting the challenge of self-forgiveness. The participants agreed that if one cannot forgive oneself, it becomes difficult to extend forgiveness to others. The church family was acknowledged as a supportive environment, continually pointing to the cross and Jesus as the model for self-forgiveness and a way to face reality with grace and mercy.
