Guilt: A Useless Emotion

[Christ4Ever]

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Micah 7:18

A big part of the fallen human condition is negative, destructive emotions, one of the worst being guilt. You’ve probably felt guilty over things you’ve done, or failed to do, in the past. But guilt can be an anchor in your life that can hold you down and keep you from living the abundant life Jesus promised those who follow Him.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you needn’t dwell on guilt over your past mistakes and sins. If you find yourself feeling guilt, you should spend some time dwelling on these words directly from the mouth of God: “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again” (Isaiah 43:25).

God didn’t save you, forgive you, and set you on a new path in life so that you can spend the rest of your days being eaten alive by guilt over your past sins. Yes, learn from your past mistakes and sins and become a better man of God through what you learn, but don’t ever let yourself believe, for even a moment, that God holds that which He has forgotten against you.

 

[MadHermit]

Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Micah 7:18

A big part of the fallen human condition is negative, destructive emotions, one of the worst being guilt. You’ve probably felt guilty over things you’ve done, or failed to do, in the past. But guilt can be an anchor in your life that can hold you down and keep you from living the abundant life Jesus promised those who follow Him.

As a follower of Jesus Christ, you needn’t dwell on guilt over your past mistakes and sins. If you find yourself feeling guilt, you should spend some time dwelling on these words directly from the mouth of God: “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again” (Isaiah 43:25).

God didn’t save you, forgive you, and set you on a new path in life so that you can spend the rest of your days being eaten alive by guilt over your past sins. Yes, learn from your past mistakes and sins and become a better man of God through what you learn, but don’t ever let yourself believe, for even a moment, that God holds that which He has forgotten against you.

Martin Luther said: "Sin boldly." In other words, sinning is inevitable, so you have a choice: you can wallow in guilt or you can sin joyfully, not deliberately, knowing that God has buried your sins in the sea of His forgetfulness and put up a sign that says "No fishing." So when you persist in nurturing guilt feelings, you are wishing in a no fishing zone and implying that Christ's atoning death was ineffective!

St. Augustine said: "Love God and do whatever you please." In other words, gain understanding of what a life lived in agape love means and you won't have to feel fear or guilt about what you want to do.