Dealing With Guilt - Part 2

Yesterday I wrote on my struggle with guilt. I struggle with guilt over small sinless things - like not having a warm coat on my children when I see all the other preschoolers arrive in their winter coats! To guilt over real sin - like the things that come too quickly out of my mouth when I am angry with one of my children.

Guilt is a universal experience. I received quite a few emails from readers saying that they too have this struggle and I thought maybe I should say more. So I went to my Bible searching for more and I found the answer in one word "Jesus"!

We all have a God-given conscience. Our conscience is committed to getting accounts settled with God and to make things right when we've done wrong.

Hebrews 10:22 talks about our conscience and it says "Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

This is one power house of a verse! Do you see what it says - when you feel guilty - draw near to God. Isn't that the opposite of what we want to do? Trust me when those lights came on behind me last Sunday (see Monday's blog) my conscience made me want to hide not chat with a police officer!

But this verse says - "draw near to God with a sincere heart" - be open and honest with God - he already knows what you have done. And don't be scared have "full assurance of faith" - God always loves you - you are his child.

How are we able to come to his throne? Through the blood of his son, Jesus, shed on the cross and that blood has "sprinkled our hearts and it cleanses our guilty conscience!" Wow! God knew that our consciences would bother us - and he wants us to know that our conscience has been cleansed through his blood. We are right with God not because of any of our works but because of his blood alone!

So I want you to ease your conscience today. Picture your heart like a cup cake with sprinkles - it's a delight to God - he does not see all that bad you see. Draw near to God right now and tell him your failures and allow him to sprinkle blood on your conscience and cleanse you and then believe it, accept it and live in it!

Walk with the King!

Courtney
http://www.womenlivingwell.org/