What About Guilt?
Guilt holds us hostage.
When it grips me, I can sense it poisoning my thoughts, relationships, and actions, calling into question everything that has seemed true about myself and others.
Guilt is another emotion that chases us like a hell-bent hound.
I’ve found it often pursues me with such an intensity that I can feel trapped. Negatively polluting every inch of my life. In fact, when guilt grips me, I can sense it poisoning my thoughts, relationships, and actions, calling into question everything that has seemed true about me and others.
Guilt holds us hostage in our thinking.
Leaves us feeling defensive.
Stuck.
Vulnerable to its influence.
The thing is, when guilt overtakes our thinking and feeling, it's so easy to self-condemn. Can you relate? Do you ever hear yourself saying terrible things to yourself with self-loathing criticism?
Years ago, I fell prey to an online fraud scheme. I made lots of decisions I later bitterly regretted. They rattled and plagued me. I felt so much guilt and shame over my actions and choices. Now nearly five years later, I can still sometimes hear myself say some sort of self-condemning message to myself.
The guilt we feel over our bad decisions can be toxic and destructive.
How about you? Does guilt poison the way you think? And, in turn, contaminate the way you relate to others, and even to God?
You know, there is a way out of guilt, away from self-loathing criticism. It involves God. It has to. Because we are not alone in this world. No matter how isolated and alone we might feel or think we are right now.
Jesus replied …. “If the Son sets you free, you are truly free” (John 8:36).
Reflective Respose: Identify a person or situation that is causing you to feel guilt in your life. Share it with God. You don’t have to use lofty words. Just express what immediately comes to mind. Ask Him to ease your pain. Ask Him, too, if there is something you might need to do, like forgive yourself or someone else. Ask Him to help you.
God longs for you and me to be free.
