Releasing your feelings of guilt

The king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber above the city gate and wept.

As he walked, he cried, “My son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33)

I can’t help but think David had a deep sense of guilt for Absalom’s death.

Guilt for not dealing with Amnon when he raped Tamar.

Guilt for holding Absalom at a distance for so long, instead of showing him the grace and mercy God had shown David.

But now, that guilt threatened to destroy him and his kingdom as Joab would point out in chapter 19.

As with David, we may feel guilt for our failures and sins. That can be especially painful when we see the effects those failures and sins have had on those we love.

But at some point, we have to let go of our guilt and move on, or that guilt will destroy us.

I’m not saying that we should make light of our guilt. To convince ourselves that what we did wasn’t so bad and try to forget about it.

On the contrary, we need to fully admit our guilt before God.

And if possible, we should also fully admit our guilt to anyone we have hurt and try to make things right.

It’s also important to reflect on and learn from our sins and failures.

But after that, embrace the forgiveness of God.

The person we hurt may never forgive us. But God will.

Feelings of guilt will destroy you if you let it. And that’s not God wants for you.

Jesus died in our place on the cross, bearing all our guilt and sin. And now by his grace, his blood has washed away our sins. (1 John 1:7)

We are spotless before him. We are blameless before him. (Ephesians 1:4, 5:27)

We are forgiven!

That may be hard to believe right now. But it’s true.

Don’t let Satan lie to you, telling you what you’ve done is unforgiveable.

You are spotless before God!

You are blameless before God!

You are forgiven!

So remember these words of Paul and make them your own:

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus… (Romans 8:1)