Like taking a bath when we are dirty,
Feeling guilty shows us a need for Gods help so he can send the Holy Spirit to work in our life and clean us up. To stay in a place where we are always feeling guilty, ashamed and feeling like we owe everyone an apology is not where the Father wants us. Guilt can skew our vision in life. Guilt can mess up how we see forward in life.
This thinking can work as a trap as the devil and hell are continuously whispering lies and using our deeds against us. We mustn’t forget that the blood was not just spilled when our savior died, but it goes before us throughout time.
Henry Cloud says and I quote, ‘The opposite of bad self is not the good self.’
‘The opposite of the bad self is the loved self.
‘The opposite of shame is love.’
Pretty powerful stuff.
Forgiving others is also a huge step in growing, as is repentance. Forgiveness releases others from our condemnation and allows us to move forward, and grow in life. Never does forgiving make the act that was done to us okay, it just releases the other person from our condemnation so God can work on our hearts. Unforgiving only hurts us.
Repentance is also a good thing, as it brings us before God. It brings us to a place where emotional healing can begin and believe it or not, physical healing can come into play. Repentance is freedom.
What is Repentance?
It is a change of the mind, that leads to a change of heart, or a change of mind that leads to a change in actions. This change involves both a turning from sin and turning to God.
Try this, go to God in a quiet place and open your heart to him. Big or small stuff. He wants to hear it all. If you need to cry, then cry. It’s a healing tool God instilled within us. There’s no shame when you're with the Father, he loves you. Some of the most liberating times in my life were when my heart was opened up while crying, telling Father all of my thoughts and what I felt. You can tell him all things. Happy things, sad things and sometimes when life brings seemingly more complicated situations, you can always reach out to a counselor or reputable trusted church leader or friend to get a bit of a hand up and work things out that way. Having a sounding board helps us not to take ourselves too seriously. By getting our thoughts out of our head and verbally spoken to another, there’s a sort of heart healing taking place. Its helped me many times.
Last but not least, thank Father for what he’s doing in your life, and rest in his glory and love for you. The price of sin was paid for us, we don’t need to constantly wallow in our wrong deeds. We have a sinful nature and that’s why Jesus died for us , so we could have life eternal. To have a very good life here on earth and eternal life in heaven. We are Sons and daughters of God and we've been bought with a price. Romans 8:14.
Jesus doesn’t want us trying to crucify ourselves over and over with guilt. That’s really sadistic, right? He wants us in a mindful continual worship state of mind, enjoying our time with him. Relying on him. There may be some natural effort to stay in his presence, and it gets easier the more we try. When we are in his presence we aren’t constantly thinking about our badness or what others have done to us. Just like natural loving parents we just adore being with our children. Laughing, talking and being washed in his word with scripture and song which brings understanding and a deeper love for him. Little by little, and day by day it draws us closer and closer to him. Being in his presence makes us love conscience, not sin conscience. It grows our love for others and ourselves. Sometimes forgiving another can take a little time. I’ve had to ask God day after day sometimes with some big stuff, but that's okay. Our walk is progressive, we grow daily. It doesn’t mean you have to go to the person either. Just take it to God. He will work things out in miraculous ways.
Forgiveness Scriptures;
Matthew 6:14-15 TPT The Passion Translation
14 “And when you pray, make sure you forgive the faults of others so that your Father in heaven will also forgive you. 15 But if you withhold forgiveness from others, your Father withholds forgiveness from you.”
Mark 11:24-25
24 This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe whatever you ask for in prayer—believe that you have received it and it will be yours. 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you find that you carry something in your heart against another person, release him and forgive him so that your Father in heaven will also release you and forgive you of your faults.
Acts 13:38-39
38 “So listen, friends! Through this Jesus, the forgiveness of sins is offered to you. 39 Everyone who believes in him is set free from sin and guilt—something the law of Moses had no power to do.
Repenting of our sins to God;
Chronicles 7:14
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
1 John 1:9
9 But if we freely admit our sins when his light uncovers them, he will be faithful to forgive us every time. God is just to forgive us our sins because of Christ, and he will continue to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Proverbs 28:13
13 If you cover up your sin you’ll never do well.
But if you confess your sins and forsake them,
you will be kissed by mercy.
Luke 15
The Parable of the Lost Lamb
15 Many dishonest tax collectors and other notorious sinners often gathered around to listen as Jesus taught the people. 2 This raised concerns with the Jewish religious leaders and experts of the law. Indignant, they grumbled and complained, saying, “Look at how this man associates with all these notorious sinners and welcomes them all to come to him!”
3 In response, Jesus gave them this illustration:
4–5 “There once was a shepherd with a hundred lambs, but one of his lambs wandered away and was lost. So the shepherd left the ninety-nine lambs out in the open field and searched in the wilderness for that one lost lamb. He didn’t stop until he finally found it. With exuberant joy he raised it up and placed it on his shoulders,carrying it back with cheerful delight! 6 Returning home, he called all his friends and neighbors together and said, ‘Let’s have a party! Come and celebrate with me the return of my lost lamb. It wandered away, but I found it and brought it home.’”
7 Jesus continued, “In the same way, there will be a glorious celebration in heaven over the rescue of one lost sinner who repents, comes back home, and returns to the fold—more so than for all the righteous people who never strayed away.”
The Parable of the Lost Coin
8 Jesus gave them another parable:
“There once was a woman who had ten valuable silver coins. When she lost one of them, she swept her entire house, diligently searching every corner of her house for that one lost coin. 9 When she finally found it, she gathered all her friends and neighbors for a celebration, telling them, ‘Come and celebrate with me! I had lost my precious silver coin, but now I’ve found it.’ 10 That’s the way God responds every time one lost sinner repents and turns to him. He says to all his angels, ‘Let’s have a joyous celebration, for that one who was lost I have found!’”
The Loving Father
11 Then Jesus said, “Once there was a father with two sons. 12 The younger son came to his father and said, ‘Father, don’t you think it’s time to give me the share of your estate that belongs to me?’So the father went ahead and distributed among the two sons their inheritance.13 Shortly afterward, the younger son packed up all his belongings and traveled off to see the world. He journeyed to a far-off land where he soon wasted all he was given in a binge of extravagant and reckless living.
14 “With everything spent and nothing left, he grew hungry, for there was a severe famine in that land. 15 So he begged a farmer in that country to hire him. The farmer hired him and sent him out to feed the pigs. 16 The son was so famished, he was willing to even eat the slop given to the pigs, because no one would feed him a thing.
17 “Humiliated, the son finally realized what he was doing and he thought, ‘There are many workers at my father’s house who have all the food they want with plenty to spare. They lack nothing. Why am I here dying of hunger, feeding these pigs and eating their slop? 18 I want to go back home to my father’s house, and I’ll say to him, “Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. 19 I’ll never be worthy to be called your son. Please, Father, just treat me like one of your employees.”’
20 “So the young son set off for home. From a long distance away, his father saw him coming, dressed as a beggar, and great compassion swelled up in his heart for his son who was returning home. So the father raced out to meet him. He swept him up in his arms, hugged him dearly, and kissed him over and over with tender love.
21 “Then the son said, ‘Father, I was wrong. I have sinned against you. I could never deserve to be called your son. Just let me be—’
“The father interrupted and said, ‘Son, you’re home now!’
22 “Turning to his servants, the father said, ‘Quick, bring me the best robe, my very own robe, and I will place it on his shoulders. Bring the ring, the seal of sonship, and I will put it on his finger. And bring out the best shoes[k] you can find for my son. 23 Let’s prepare a great feast and celebrate. 24 For this beloved son of mine was once dead, but now he’s alive again. Once he was lost, but now he is found!’ And everyone celebrated with overflowing joy.
25 “Now, the older son was out working in the field when his brother returned, and as he approached the house he heard the music of celebration and dancing. 26 So he called over one of the servants and asked, ‘What’s going on?’
27 “The servant replied, ‘It’s your younger brother. He’s returned home and your father is throwing a party to celebrate his homecoming.’
28 “The older son became angry and refused to go in and celebrate. So his father came out and pleaded with him, ‘Come and enjoy the feast with us!'
29 “The son said, ‘Father, listen! How many years have I been working like a slave for you, performing every duty you’ve asked as a faithful son? And I’ve never once disobeyed you. But you’ve never thrown a party for me because of my faithfulness. Never once have you even given me a goat that I could feast on and celebrate with my friends like he’s doing now. 30 But look at this son of yours! He comes back after wasting your wealth on prostitutes and reckless living, and here you are throwing a great feast to celebrate—for him!’
31 “The father said, ‘My son, you are always with me by my side. Everything I have is yours to enjoy. 32 It’s only right to celebrate like this and be overjoyed, because this brother of yours was once dead and gone, but now he is alive and back with us again. He was lost but now he is found!’”
Romans 12:2
2 Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.