Guilt

“For the person who keeps all of the laws except one is as guilty as a person who has broken all of God’s laws.” (James 2:10 NLT)

Guilt and condemnation are our lifelong companions, to some extent, even after coming to the Lord. But in Revelation 12:10 the Bible says of Satan: “For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth – the one who accuses them before our God day and night.” But thanks be to God it doesn’t stop there. The very next verse says: “And they (those who are in Christ) have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.”

Guilt, like sin, is a defeated foe, but our lack of faith compels Satan to keep hounding us about things God has already forgotten. In some ways guilt is like a scar that continues to itch, a constant reminder of something we’re longing to forget; however, like a scar on our body or in our heart, the Lord can use them, not to tear us down, but to build us up.

What the enemy wants to use to defeat us, the Lord wants to use to empower and enable us to be more than we ever imagined we could be. As I have scars on my body that remind me of mistakes and falls, so the scars on our heart remind us of sins and severe errors in judgment that not only hurt us, but too often hurt others as well. So, why does the Lord allow those remembrances?

Because remembrances can be positive and good. Paul reminds us that Holy Communion is an ordinance of remembrance, so we never forget what our salvation cost the Son of God. Being reminded of past sin can, hopefully, deter us from repeating things we know we should avoid. However, constantly brooding over sins for which we’ve been forgiven can also betray us into believing we have no choice but to repeat them; that we’re so steeped in what we were that we can never escape its ugly grip.

Helen Thorne reminds us: “You can’t cry guilt away. You need to give it away.” “But HOW?” becomes the logical question. To whom can we give it? Our friends and family are likely sick of hearing us rehash all our mistakes and failures, but gratefully, the Lord never tires of hearing us own our sin and seek His forgiveness, so that it may be forgiven and forgotten.

I love Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Burdens are a part of life, but they’re so much easier when the Lord is carrying the Lion’s share.

Guilt and shame are like worn out tire tracks, a vague reminder, but no longer a threat to us in any way. By God’s grace we are secure in the warmth and safety of our Father’s arms. Nothing of this world can touch our lives except it passes through the filter of God’s permission, and only then when He intends it for our good. I love Paul’s reminder in Roman’s 8:1-2: “So now (since we’ve yielded our life and allegiance to Jesus) there is NO condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.”

Bask in your freedom, fellow Jesus lover, we are free indeed and forever!

HALLELUJAH! WHAT A SAVIOR!

Food for thought.

Blessings, Ed 😊