Forgiving Yourself?

This is a topic pretty close to my heart for a number of reasons.  The problem is, the Bible never really address this issue specifically.  I have a philosophy about emotions.  Emotions are good; God has given them to us to help express our love to Him, to keep ourselves in perspective, and to get our attention sometimes.  Guilt is one of those good emotions.  In an ideal world no one would feel guilt, because no one would sin or do anything to feel guilty for.  However, as it stands, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."  Guilt helps us realize our faults, and gives us the motivation we need to come to God for salvation. The Bible does, however, talk a great deal about God's forgiveness of of us.  In particular a verse I want to point out is Jerimiah 31:34.  The last phrase of the verse says, "For I will forgive them of their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."  If we seek God, submit to His will, He will forgive us.  But He also forgets the sin. This is a cool concept that I have trouble wrapping my own mind around.  We as humans, we remember things. But God in all His power and glory has the power to make Himself forget, or at least to not bring it to rememberance. What happens when we hold on to what God lets go? We feel helpless.  If we won't accept that God has forgiven us, the we begin to feel like we have sinned so much or so badly that we have fallen to far for God to love us.  Paul recognized this fact, and several times talked about the fogiveness that God had given him.  He wrote to Timothy in 1 Tim 1:15-16, "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Jesus Christ came into the world to saver sinners of which I am foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, the foremost, Jesus Christ might disply His perfect patience as an example for those who were to believe in Him for eternal life."  Paul accepted his salvation, but also kept his sins in remembace, not to wallow in self pity, but as a reminder to him of God's great love!  Self pity is the Devil's decptive counterpart to guilt.  We have a hold guilt, that brings us to God, but if we do nothing with that guilt and begin to wallow in it, it turns into self pity.  Through self pity we lose confidence in God  and our ability to come to Him.  So come to the Lord.  Accept your salvation.  And use your mistakes to guide others.