After feeling the sting of guilt, becoming aware of failure,
I prayed - “Father, thank you for making me miserable. You have preserved my
life with your convicting Presence.” Yes, it may seem strange to thank God for a
guilty conscience. However, those feelings of shame and guilt over thoughts,
words, or actions that are unworthy of a follower of Christ are His way of correcting
us, leading us to the place of His blessing and favor.
David, Israel’s king and poet, a man who loved God and yet made
some terribly sinful choices describes the misery of guilt. "When I kept silent, my bones wasted
away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy
upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer." (Psalm
32:3-4) Nothing hurts like a guilty
conscience. Temptation comes and
presents us with a decision – to choose to resist or to do what ‘feels good’ in
the moment. If we decide to let those cruel
words batter another, if we choose to lie, if we refuse the truth – we should be
thankful when the sword of the Spirit slashes our conscience.
Have you ever experienced the misery of guilt? Guilt can
keep us awake all night. It can make a delicious meal tasteless. It can turn a
song into sound that only aggravates us like the scraping of fingernails on a
chalkboard. Remember - all guilt is not bad. Paul wrote a hard letter of correction to the
Christians of Corinth. Apparently it caused many to feel real sorrow. Note what
he says - "For the kind of sorrow
God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation.
There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks
repentance, results in spiritual death." (2 Corinthians 7:10, NLT) He
took no pleasure in his rebuke telling that he sent the letter while shedding ‘many
tears.’ But, he hoped for a response of change, and it happened!
There is false guilt. Our conscience can be damaged, made
too sensitive by constant criticism or scarred into uselessness by constant
abuse. But, if our conscience is functioning in a healthy way, responsive to
the Holy Spirit of God, informed by the truth, we should thank the Lord for the
bone-deep ache that comes when we cross the line from right to wrong.
That ache that David felt after his sin was called out by
Nathan, the preacher, was healed. How? He owned his failure and changed his
ways. (You can read his prayer in Psalm
51) Never underestimate the joy that can be discovered in confession! "Then I let it all out; I said, “I’ll
make a clean breast of my failures to God.” Suddenly the pressure was gone— my
guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. These things add up. Every one of us needs
to pray; when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts we’ll be on high ground,
untouched." (Psalm 32:5-6, The Message) Confession liberating, letting us experience God’s forgiveness.
Often sincere confession will also win the forgiveness of another person, even
those we have wronged in the most serious way.
The next step to healing is not to play the victim or offer
up excuses. God looks for genuine repentance. Many people want release from
guilt. Many even regret what they have done because of the negative
consequences, but they feel little need to change their ways! The ancient
people of God disobeyed the Lord confessed, but then would not turn to follow Him!
They only wanted relief. They had no hunger to be holy. They would not turn
around to pursue God. Will you? Joel
tells us about real confession and repentance that bring the restoration of our
souls. "Come, spend the night in
sackcloth, you who minister before my God; … (Joel 1:13, NIV) “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me
with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Rend your heart
and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending
calamity." (Joel 2:12-13, NIV)
Are you alienated from the Lord who gives you peace? Is
guilt keeping your prayer silent, robbing you of worship, making you miserable? Thank God for the gift and then with humility
of heart, tell Him what you have done and ask Him for strength to live as He
desires. He will abundantly pardon.
Here is the word from the Word. "Where
is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the
sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever,
because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have
compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into
the depths of the ocean! You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love
as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago." (Micah
7:18-20, NLT)
__________________________
Search Me O God
(Cleanse Me)
Search me O God and
know my heart today
Try me O Savior know
my thoughts I pray
See if there be some
wicked way in me
Cleanse me from every
sin and set me free
I praise You Lord for
cleansing me from sin
Fulfill Thy Word and
make me pure within
Fill me with fire
where once I burned with shame
Grant my desire to
magnify Your Name
Lord take my life and make it wholly Thine
Fill all my heart with
Your great love divine
Take all my will my
passion self and pride
I now surrender Lord
in me abide
J. Edwin Orr
© Words: Public Domain
No comments:
Post a Comment