Moving away from guilt

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10

I just love the conversations that happen around tables at Bible study. There is such a beauty in it. Women coming together from all different walks of life, different backgrounds, and different circumstances, but women coming together with the common denominator of Jesus Christ. It is faith that binds us together in unity. I love it, and I will never grow tired of it.

Last night was an extraordinary time of Bible study and discussion with a group of faith-filled women, and our conversation was riveting. We talked about why the Gospel is good news to us personally. We shared about areas in our lives that need growth and the different ways God has been convicting us. One conversation in particular began with talk of forgiveness, and led to discussion about the difference between conviction from the Holy Spirit and condemnation from the enemy. Guilt and shame versus conviction.

Make no mistake, there is an enormous gap between them. We have a tendency to confuse them, but Scripture is clear in separating them. Take a quick look again at 2 Corinthians 7:10.

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” 2 Corinthians 7:10

When we choose to agree with God on the matter of our sin, we experience godly sorrow. Because sin grieves the heart of God, it should grieve us as well. That is conviction, the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, moving us toward repentance. Guilt and shame, however, are perhaps the most commonly used weapons of the enemy. Why? Because if Satan can get us trapped in places of guilt and shame over our failures and sin, we’ll never fully embrace God’s forgiveness for us, therefore, never fully walking in the abundant life that Christ died to give us. Weak, wounded, doubtful, and shame-filled believers are not a threat to the enemy. Faith-filled, free Christians are.

Guilt and shame are nothing more than captivity. Both are bondage. Both are strongholds that Christ calls us out of so that we can walk in freedom. I’ve heard too many women share with me that they have a hard time accepting and understanding God’s forgiveness for them because they can’t seem to forgive themselves. Guess what, friends? No where in all of Scripture will you find instruction or a command to forgive yourself. It’s not there. Why? Because God’s forgiveness for us is not contingent upon our forgiving ourselves. His forgiveness is enough. It’s more than enough. Guilt and shame are not the pastures of freedom that God has invited us into. He’s called us out of both and into His marvelous light.

I spent too much of my life bound up in guilt and shame, thus forfeiting so many of the blessings that God was waiting to pour into my life. Not anymore. I’m moving away from guilt and into the freedom that forgiveness brings. Christ didn’t die for my sins so that I could remain bound up in them. No. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Therefore, let’s not return to the yoke of slavery that once held us captive. (Galatians 5:1)

May the only thing we remain bound to in this life is Jesus Christ. Let us only be slaves of righteousness, no longer slaves to sin, regret, guilt, and shame. In Jesus’ name, let’s live free! This world is not our home, so let’s stop living as if it is and start looking heavenward to where our inheritance awaits us.