Guilt

Guilt, the false kind, is a non-conventional "four letter word" to me. It is a thief.  It's a lier, and because it's a lier, you never know when to believe it because there is real guilt, and false guilt. Guilt sneaks into your being, like carbon monoxide. It can kill you before you realize what it is. It's something that every person is faced with at some point in their lifetime. You can ignore it, or invite it in. If you ignore it, it will continue to haunt you, it never tires. If you invite it in, it now has the potential to run your life.

Guilty. This is a completely different word. It can be both true and false, depending on the situation. Feeling guilty can have many of the same affects as guilt. Being guilty is something that proceeds consequence.

It amazes me that Jesus and I both have experienced guilt. The difference is that His was unwarranted, he took MY guilt. I am much different, I stood naked, filthy and shameful before a Holy God and Jesus, God's own Son stood in between God and I, before the holiness of God could consume me.  Jesus willingly took all the shame, all the sorrow, all the guilt, all the condemnation that I have from my sin and the guiltiness that I earned from my sin. He literally wore it along with his cross and there, I lost my guilt. There a Holy God-Man chose to love me when when I didn't love him back. There, I became beloved, chosen, His.

Why then do I create my own guilt? Why do I look to God and say "I'm not enough for you!" when he already knows that, and Jesus is my identity now. Because we have an accuser. Satan is always there to accuse us before God and ourselves, making us feel inadequate and unworthy. We forget that we are purchased by His blood, "all our sin are washed away, the night has turned to day".

Oh! To have this etched into the deepest rifts in my heart:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ² For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 

God's Word... so much to learn. What are your thoughts?....