I had a friend tell me one time, "George, you carry the guilt of the whole world on your shoulders."
There is a big, big difference between true guilt and false guilt.
True guilt drives me to God
True guilt causes me to walk in humility before God
True guilt pushes me to draw closer to God
False guilt drives me away from God
False guilt causes to me want to stay away from God and his church
False guilt causes much pain in our lives.
Sometimes forgiving ourselves is harder than forgiving others.
I read this recently:
"Amputees often experience some sensation of a phantom limb. Somewhere, locked in their brains, a memory lingers of the nonexistent hand or leg. Invisible toes curl, imaginary hands grasp things, a "leg" feels so sturdy a patient may try to stand on it. For a few, the experience includes pain. Doctors watch helplessly, for the part of the body screaming for attention does not exist.
One such patient was my medical school administrator, Mr. Barwick, who had a serious and painful circulation problem in his leg but refused to allow the recommended amputation. As the pain grew worse, Barwick grew bitter. "I hate it! I hate It!" he would mutter about the leg. At last he relented and told the doctor, "I can't stand it anymore. I'm through with that leg. Take it off." Surgery was scheduled immediately.
Before the operation, however, Barwick asked the doctor, "What do you do with legs after they're removed?"
"We may take a biopsy or explore them a bit, but afterwards we incinerate them," the doctor replied.
Barwick proceeded with a bizarre request: "I would like you to preserve my leg in a pickling jar. I will install it on my mantle shelf. Then, as I sit in my armchair, I will taunt that leg, 'Hah! You can't hurt me anymore!'"
Ultimately, he got his wish. But the despised leg had the last laugh. Barwick suffered phantom limb pain of the worst degree. The wound healed, but he could feel the torturous pressure of the swelling as the muscles cramped, and he had no prospect of relief. He had hated the leg with such intensity that the pain had unaccountably lodged permanently in his brain.
To me, phantom limb pain provides wonderful insight into the phenomenon of false guilt. Christians can be obsessed by the memory of some sin committed years ago. It never leaves them, crippling their ministry, their devotional life, their relationships with others. They live in fear that someone will discover their past. They work overtime trying to prove to God they're truly repentant. They erect barriers against the enveloping, loving grace of God. Unless they experience the truth in (1 John 3:19-20) that "God is greater than our conscience," they become a pitiful as poor Mr. Barwick, shaking a fist in fury at the pickled leg on the mantle.
I like what David said in Psalms 32:5, "Then I acknowledge my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord" - and you forgave THE GUILT OF MY SIN."
Let's walk in freedom today!
Can we not pray, "Father, release us from false guilt today. Condemnation is not from you. Condemnation is from the father of lies - Satan - the enemy of our souls. Thank you that after you have forgiven us that you don't condemn us. We relax in the peace and calm of your forgiveness and grace. Amen."
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Whatever is causing your guilt, you need to deal with it in a scriptural manner. The only thing that can separate us from the love of God, is our unwillingness to deal with our sin. You might say, I don’t have any sin. The word tells us, that if we say that we are without sin, the truth is not in us. We think we’re doing everything right, but are we? What is the standard that we use to measure success or failure? Is there failure in Christ? If we’re not doing our best, then there should be some guilt. And if we know absolutely, that we’re doing our best than what do we have to have this guilt for?
Guilt like you said, will either draw you closer to God or make you go farther away. But both are a choice, so it’s up to us to choose wisely, based on the truth. The Word of God is another thing that we have to choose what to do with. We know that the Word of God is True. The Word of God will either bring you closer or drive you away. Again, the choice is ours to make. Believe the Word of God and act on the truth or turn away. When we intentionally reject what the Word of God says, and decide to go contrary, God cannot and will not be able to bless us because of our disobedience. Without Gods presence in our life, we are just existing. We’re like a garden that is left to the weeds. Then guilt sets in.
Many of the Godly men of old experienced their share of guilt, along with many other emotions, that temporarily robbed them of their relationship with God. The Word of God, when we read it shows us, how they got connected again. Everybody falls, fails, miss the mark, sins. When anyone falls into one of these categories where their knocked down, beat up, because of bad choices or whatever, one thing you need to remember. When you fall the biggest sin is not what you did wrong, it’s not getting up again and continuing your journey with God. Remember, God chose you. He is the author and the finisher of your faith. What He started in you, He will finish. True repentance is the key. God will not reject a broken and contrite heart. Guilt is something you might feel. But knowing your forgiven is the way that you need to live. There are things in my past that I still remember and feel really bad about to this day. This one thing I know. I asked Father in Jesus name to forgive me of my sins. They are under the Blood of Christ. I have to believe that. I choose to believe that. I live my life the way I do because I believe that.
It’s not a matter of if, but when I miss the mark today or tomorrow or the next day. I have an Advocate with the Father. His name is Jesus. The Word says that if we confess my sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness. If we truly repent with Godly sorrow, we can say to guilt, “ I’m forgiven, it’s under the blood in Jesus name. Then live in that truth from Gods word.
Yes, we need to learn to live in freedom from guilt. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed.
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