Get Rid of Guilt

Get Rid of Guilt

By Katherine Kehler

“We were the ones who strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own, yet God laid on Him (Jesus) the guilt and sins of every one of us!”  Isaiah 53:5

I have read results of a survey finding that most people live with a constant feeling of guilt. We feel guilty because we eat too much, because we don’t exercise enough, because we don’t spend enough time with our kids, spouse, relatives or friends, because we spend too much money or aren’t good enough providers for our family. And even though we can’t squeeze one more thing into our already frenzied schedule, we feel guilty because we are not doing enough.

Recently, I had lunch with an extremely gifted person who told me she felt guilty because she was not doing more of the things her friend was doing. I have learned that there are two kinds of guilt: real guilt and false guilt. My friend was feeling false guilt, and this is what I told her:
“God has given you many wonderful gifts and an amazing network of people. People love you. You are so good at what you do. I couldn’t possibly do those things. If you didn’t do what you did, those things would go left undone. You are just where the Lord wants you to be.”

The enemy of our souls is the ‘accuser’, and he will try to put these feelings of ‘not good enough’ into our minds and hearts. Usually he puts this vague feeling of guilt in us, but nothing really specific. Don’t listen to him.

There is, however, a kind of guilt that is real. Sometimes we have sinful attitudes and do and say sinful things. It may be speaking angry words, swearing, gossiping, jealousy, flirting with someone other than your spouse, having an affair or eating or drinking too much. The Holy Spirit will convict us of these specific sins and we need to admit and confess them. Then, as 1 John 1:9 says, He will forgive and cleanse you and take away your guilt.

We need not walk with feelings of guilt. Christ has set us free from guilt and sin. Let’s walk in the freedom of forgiveness.

“Dear Father, would you please enable me to recognize if the guilt I feel is from your Holy Spirit convicting me of sin, or if is the enemy falsely accusing me. Thank you! Amen”