Forgiveness and the Halibut Killer

Several summers ago I went on a halibut fishing trip with some family members. I bought several lures to help me reach the depths where the big fish are supposed to be. One lure in particular seemed to be exactly what a halibut was looking for. This lure was called the Halibut Killer, and it had a retail price of around 16 dollars. It was my prized lure, and I was certain that it was helping me to catch the most halibut. After catching 3 or 4 fish on it, I dropped it down and felt a big tug, and then I felt nothing. My prized lure was lost 200 feet down at the bottom of Kachemak Bay.
The Bible says that our sins will be buried in the "deepest sea" when we ask the Lord for forgiveness. I am sure if my lure had been lost in ten feet of water, I would have spent too much time thinking about how to somehow bring it back. It was lost at 200 feet, and I had no hope of its return. It was immediately gone from my thoughts. Imagine then what our Savior intends when he says our sins are in"the deepest sea". I do not think that it is for His own benefit that he puts them so far out of reach, it is for our benefit. He knows that we as humans have trouble letting go of our mistakes and failures, and has made it very clear, that where he is concerned there is no room to dwell on them indefinitely. Guilt can paralyze and cripple any spiritual growth. It can also place great barriers between us and God. We must be aware of our shortcomings and be humbled by them, but know that once we have sought reconciliation, it will be granted in a larger way and our sins buried in a deeper sea than we could ever imagine. Be aware of the spiritual "lures" that you can't seem to let go of, and give them over to the Creator of the deepest seas. Lord, help me to accept your forgiveness and the forgiveness of those aound me.