Guilty Feelings?

 

We all have a million different kinds of feelings.  You may have feelings of depression, fear, shame, doubt, anger, jealousy, hate, or envy.  You may feel inadequate because of debt, your parenting skills, or because of past sins.  The BIG feeling we all have is guilt!  But you are not what you feel!  Jesus doesn’t see what you did in the past, but who you are.  You are not your circumstance or your past sin.  Remember you are not perfect.  We all mess up from time to time, but God always forgives.  God knows who you are, not what you’ve done.

Feelings can be irrational.  They can be childish and can even be a sign of weakness.  Feelings can interfere with getting what you really want.  They are not always reliable.  They can take away your joy and your happiness.  All people even Christians experience all kinds of feelings and emotions both good and bad. 

The Bible tells us that even God and Jesus showed emotions.   Jesus wept in John 11:35 and God and Jesus were angered by what people did on earth.  There is a list of positive emotions in Galatians 5:22-23 – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

The emotional life of a Christian should be shaped in response to God’s character.  We should feel peace, joy, love, and hope from knowing God’s mercy, grace, love, and faithfulness.  We know that God is slow to anger.  We know He loves us and gives us grace and mercy, which makes us not want to continue in sin.

The Bible tells us how to change those bad feeling into good ones by telling us to transform our minds.  “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2.

The devil likes to separate you from your spirit.  He tells you over and over you are what you’ve done.  He likes to accuse.  He is a liar, a deceiver, a thief who comes to steal and kill and destroy.  He wants you to relive your past sins, but Jesus already paid for those sins on the cross.  You are not your sin so don’t buy into that lie.  Don’t continue punishing yourself for what Jesus already paid for.

Principle:  Satan wants us to feel guilty for forgiven sins.

Jesus forgives our sins and they are gone! 

They are out of sight – “You have put all my sins behind your back.” - Isaiah 38:17b.

They are out of mind – “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” – Jeremiah 31:34b.

They are out of reach – “You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:19.

They are out of existence – “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” – Isaiah 43:25.

If you believe and follow Jesus, you are saved through grace.  You can’t receive His gift of grace if you are still looking at your past.  You don’t have to live that way.  Don’t let the devil rob you of what God has given you.  Ask God to take away any guilt and doubt and strengthen your faith.

Principle:  God remembers our sins no more.

Join me here next time -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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