Most
of us know someone who has a hyperactive sense of guilt. There are lots of
jokes about being raised Catholic when this topic comes up. But some families
are just better at imposing a sense of guilt on children than other families.
Some spouses use guilt to force their will on the other. And guilt like this
can be passed along for generations. It can even become embedded in certain
cultural practices.
But
on the practical, personal sense, misplaced guilt can be a powerful negative
drag on our spiritual life. If we feel guilty for things we either didn’t do,
or for things for which we have asked for and received forgiveness, it is
misplaced guilt. Some weights we just don’t need to carry.
Often
abusers are very good at getting the abused person to feel guilty for things
they didn’t do. They use their anger most often to accuse and point the finger.
The words “If you hadn’t” and “You made me” seem to crop up frequently. And
because of the furor of the verbal assault, the abused often accepts the words
because to reject them would mean further violence. Accepting the blame is
easier than facing more abuse. And then over time the abused person often
begins to believe the lie.
But
there is a way to put our hearts at rest. The battle that rages inwardly around
guilt, both real and imposed, can be settled. And for the Jesus-follower it is
a settled issue. We know that when we confess our sins we are forgiven. And if
we are forgiven, we are no longer guilty. Our guilt has been taken, and mercy
is what we receive. Mercy is getting what we don’t deserve. We can live without
guilt for sins committed.
Out
text tells us that sometimes our hearts tell us something that isn’t true.
Sometimes our hearts tell us that we, even though we are believers, are
condemned. We live with a sense of condemnation. We walk around wondering if
the next sin will be “the big one” that will push us beyond God’s grace.
This
misplaced guilt can keep us from drawing in near to the LORD and into
fellowship with each other. Satan is like a spouse abuser. He makes people feel
guilty for things they didn’t do. He brings up the past failures as a way to
keep guilt alive. As if we don’t have enough trouble controlling our own
history of failure, he pokes and prods at just the right moments.
But
before we start seeing Satan behind every guilty thought, we need to recognize
the influence of our own upbringing and culture. Maybe it isn’t a mortal sin to
eat meat on Fridays. Maybe it is OK to laugh in church. Maybe we can enjoy
life.
The
truth is that the LORD knows everything, and if He doesn’t condemn us, what
right do we have to condemn ourselves?