Do Not Let Guilt Keep You From God

Guilt can do something strange to a Christian. We sin, know we have sinned, and then feel as if we should stay away from God until we somehow make things right.

But staying away from God is the last thing we should do.

When Adam and Eve sinned, they hid from God. Sin still makes people want to hide. We may stop praying, avoid reading the Bible, or convince ourselves that God does not want to hear from us.

That is not the answer.

First John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God does not tell us to hide our sin. He tells us to confess it.

Confession does not mean making excuses or pretending the sin was not serious. It means agreeing with God that what we did was wrong. Genuine confession should lead to repentance, which means turning away from that sin.

There is a difference between conviction and the kind of guilt that keeps beating us down after we have confessed and repented.

Godly sorrow has a purpose. Paul wrote, “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation.” 2 Corinthians 7:10.

God shows us our sin so that we will deal with it, not so that we will spend the rest of our lives hiding from Him.

Once we have confessed and turned from our sin, we need to believe what God says about forgiveness.

Romans 8:1 tells us, “Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

That does not make sin unimportant. Grace is never permission to keep sinning. But neither should a forgiven Christian keep carrying guilt as though Christ did not do enough.

Sometimes we have a harder time forgiving ourselves than we do believing God forgives other people. But our forgiveness does not depend upon how forgiven we feel. It depends upon what Christ has done and what God has promised.

Hebrews 4:16 tells believers to “approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.”

Notice where we are told to go when we need mercy.

Toward God, not away from Him.

If you have sinned, do not excuse it. Confess it. Repent of it. Make right what you can, and learn from it.

Then get back up and walk with Christ.

Do not let yesterday’s sin keep you from the One who offers forgiveness today.

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“What I write is not for everyone, but what I write is meant for someone.” – Dean Butler

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