Did you ever notice we get very confused with the emotion we call guilt? I have said before that the problem is not guilt; it is what we do with our guilt. We are imperfect people who can be very stubborn and insist on living the way we want to live, and of course, we do this even after we are born again. When we attempt to go our own way and disobey God, we fall short of His Holy standard and so, we should feel guilty. But listen to how Mr Lucado puts it, “God’s guilt brings enough regret to change us. Satan’s guilt, on the other hand, brings enough regret to enslave us.” (p23) You see, the moment we become aware that we have failed to meet God’s morality, guilt will set in. But before the enemy has enough time to turn it into shame, we need to run to God instead.
Think about the Garden of Eden here. The same old serpent who deceived Eve and used her to get Adam to sin as well, is the same one who then accused them of sinning. Immediately they felt the guilt, but instead of running to God, they tried to hide their sin. Apart from God’s Grace, the guilt quickly turned to condemnation, and that shame only led to more separation between them and God. And down came Humanity. God never desired this, and of course, He still does not want us to run from Him when we fail.
When we sin, because sadly we will, we must make it a habit to immediately run to God in confession. I mean He already knows anyway. And if you are born again, Jesus already took away that sin, as He paid the high cost for our forgiveness. (see Jn 1:29; Ro 5:8) It all comes down to whether we trust God or not. Mistrust was the problem in the Garden of Eden and it is still our problem today…and that old serpent knows it. Sadly, we too often still believe that liar rather than our Savior. Mr Lucado asks, “Do you trust your Advocate or your Accuser?” (p23) And I think it would help us a great deal if we seriously wrestled with this question. Our answer will help us understand our struggles if we have been stuck in the prison of regret for way too long.
My Friends, the truth is God loves you and has already forgiven you. We can count on God’s Grace to take away the awful burden of our flaws, faults and failures. I leave you with my favorite verse on this topic that should end all our uncertainty about guilt, Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Run to God with any guilt and let Him fill you with His Grace instead.
2023’s Got A Minute? Book Club
January: The First & Best Book Ever: The Bible
February: Love Is In the Air: “The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts” by Gary Chapman
March: Spring Growth: “Secrets of the Vine” by Bruce Wilkinson
April: Living the Resurrected Life: “The Wonderful Spirit Filled Life” by Dr Charles Stanley
May: My Spiritual Mom: “Making Good Habits Breaking Bad Habits” by Joyce Meyer
June: Spiritual Dad: “It’s Not About Me- Rescue from the Life We Thought Would Make Us Happy” by Max Lucado
July: Financial Freedom “Complete Guide to Money” by Dave Ramsey
August: Summer’s Soul Restorer “A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23” by W Phillip Keller
September: Covering Our Children: “Prayers for the Prodigals” by James Banks
October: Reformation of Our Hearts: “Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine” by Max Lucado
<>< Peace, Diane
