Guilt - Do You Struggle With It?

"Mommy - I'm SO sorry" are the words I heard coming from my daughters room after she had already been put to bed last night. So I entered her room and there she sat on her bed crying and again she said, "Mommy - I am SO sorry" and she held up a little plastic doggie that she had chewed on and broken.

Normally, there is a consequence for breaking toys - but her remorse was so obvious that my heart had compassion on her. She was clearly upset that she had broken the doggie and the only thing she needed at this point was forgiveness and a hug.

Do you struggle with guilt? Maybe you have a past that haunts you. Maybe you had an addiction in the past that ruined family relationships or you chose an abortion at a young age. Maybe you feel guilty for something you said in anger to your husband or about the food choices you make. Maybe you worry that you are not a good enough mother and feel guilty for all your short comings.

I bought a bag of 100 daffodil bulbs that I have yet to plant. Each morning I see the frost I feel guilty that I have not planted those yet - they stare at me condemningly every time I go into the garage! I feel badly that I wasted the money on them or that I've been too "lazy" to get out and plant those and when spring comes if there's no spring flowers AGAIN in front of my house - I will AGAIN feel the guilt of my fall failure!

Do you struggle with guilt over big and small things or am I alone here?

As you can see by my current struggle with the daffodils - this has been an issue for me. The list of failures I feel guilty for is too long to list - from my failure to nurse my son successfully (which was not a sin and I should not feel guilty about! - but I do) to silly daffodils! It's endless!

But when I saw my daughter in bed crying over her remorse for the broken doggie it reminded me of the compassion God shows us. He loves us as deeply as I love my daughter and he does not wish to see his daughters cry over our failures. Once we have said we are sorry he immediately forgives us. Yet the real question is - do we forgive ourselves?

Would it surprise you to hear that the Bible does not say anything about forgiving ourselves! That's a pop culture idea. Our freedom from guilt and shame is completely dependent on us understanding God's deep forgiveness of all of our sins. I John 1:9 says "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness."

Your choice is - feel guilt and shame and wallow in it or confess your sin to God and be cleansed from all unrighteousness. Let's choose to be free from guilt! If you have confessed your sins you are free! God wants you to live like you are free! Believe it, accept it, and live in it!

Walk with the King!

Courtney

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/

Ps. Is it too late for me to plant these daffodils even though we've had frost or could I do it this weekend and they would come up? Anyone know?