Got Guilt?

Picture this: you’re around 7 or 8 years old. You decide to be the class clown at school. Your teacher calls your parents. Now, you’ve been taught to behave at school, but you made the choice to misbehave. How do you feel when you get home that day? Frightened? Worried? Guilty?

If you’re like me, maybe you’ve felt all those emotions. Let’s look at it from an adult perspective. You’ve been taught right from wrong, you have strong morals, a solid background, but that 1 decision you made has left you unsettled or caused you to question yourself.

I can relate. I have been dealing with a personal choice I made in my life and it has DEFINITELY caused me to question myself and to wonder if that decision could be the reason why things are the way they are in my life right now.

The main emotion I feel and continue to deal with is “guilt.” It’s hard when you know better, yet you still choose to do something and then you have to deal with the consequences of your choices. The aftermath, for me, is even worse because now EVERY bad situation, every occurrence, even the most insignificant, unrelated thing, is tied to that 1 decision.

That’s how guilt works. It starts as a feeling and if you continue to dwell on whatever it is you’re battling with, it will consume your thoughts. You begin to second guess everything and eventually, you feel you don’t deserve happiness. I want to always be real and as transparent as I can be in these posts. I didn’t stop dealing with my guilt until the beginning of this year. And even now, I have to check myself at times. I really thought I didn’t deserve to be happy! Let that sink in for a moment………WOW, that’s how powerful guilt can be! But, I found strength in God’s word:

Romans 8:1-“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” God doesn’t condemn us for the choices we make, so why should I condemn myself? If I love God and live my life for Him, there’s no room for guilt!

I John 1:9-“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Realize you don’t have to share your business with anyone but God. And guess what? He already knows! So come to him humble and ready to release your guilt. This last verse really speaks volumes:

Isaiah 43:25-“I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” This is God speaking to us! No matter what you’ve done, He is the ONLY one that can take away our feelings of guilt and shame! His word coupled with our faith can give us a renewed hope and a release on negative thoughts. Today, if you struggle with guilt, seek after God and know it’s His desire for us to walk in His light, His love and most of all, His peace! Because this post is so personal to me, I truly pray this post blesses and encourages you! Until next time………..

Additional verses to reflect on:

Micah 7:19-“Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean!”

Psalm 103:10-12-“He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His love for those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”