Do you carry a load of guilt around with you? Are you so burdened by something you've done that it weighs you down more and more day after day? Guilt is a feeling, not a life sentence. We're not destined to a life of guilt, even if the things we've done, and the world around us, would seem to suggest so.
The Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. Done. Over. Forgiven. So if we've asked for forgiveness, and we've been granted that forgiveness, then why do we still carry the burden of that trespass with us? The answer is simple. Satan uses our feelings to try to control us. He will use anything and everything he can to rob us of living a joy-filled life, and to make us doubt our forgiveness and our salvation. And attacking our feelings is one way that he does this.
Just because we feel guilty, doesn't mean we are guilty. Remember, if you've confessed your sins, God has forgiven you and the slate is wiped clean. As far as the East is from the West...those sins have been removed from our lives. But satan is such a master manipulator that he sneaks into our minds and reminds us of all the bad things we've done over and over and over again and we end up carrying a load of guilt that's too much for anyone to bear.
But we don't have to. We need only to reclaim the victory of our forgiveness. Weekly. Daily. Hourly. How ever often it takes for us to become assured...truly assured...that we have been forgiven and our feelings of guilt and shame do not have to control us anymore. "Well surely there's something I have to do to make up for all the bad I've done," we may think. NOPE. Jesus did it all at the cross. Your forgiveness and salvation do not come through works. There's no amount of work you can do to earn your forgiveness. Sure, you may feel better about yourself if you assign yourself some outrageous workload...but you won't be any more forgiven. Letting our feelings and our thoughts run our lives and clog our minds is a surefire way satan uses to steal our joy. And it works every time if we let it.
But Jesus died so that we can have an abundant, joyful life....not one filled with guilt and shame. So what are you waiting for? Whatever it is you're feeling guilty about today, if you haven't already asked for forgiveness then do so. And if you have, let it go. Cling to the promise that once God has forgiven you, you're forgiven forever. Claim the blessed assurance that His forgiveness provides and remember that when that feeling of guilt sneaks up on you again...it's only a feeling. The sin is gone. You've been forgiven.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." ~ 1 John 1:9
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." ~ Psalm 103:12
Awesome Monica! You are such a blessing to me!
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