We Feel Bad but that’s all we feel
Guilt—No one likes, wants, or runs toward it. In fact, whenever we feel worldly guilt, we attempt to run far away, going in the opposite direction of the guilt we feel. When confronted, when approached with our own guilt, we like to think, rationalizing: “Well, I couldn’t help it” OR “It’s not my fault” OR “It’s not that bad” OR EVEN “Thank goodness this hurt no one but me.”
Each one of the above thoughts prove the guilt we feel comes from our feet planted firmly on the ground—in this world. Worldly guilt does not come from God but from the world, and here’s how we can know the difference.
Worldly guilt means we feel sad and remorseful, as we tell ourselves:
“I won’t do that again, hopefully.” Then when the time comes, we do again that which we vowed not to do, replicating the same action we knew not to do. It is these actions, these earthly thoughts of self-righteousness and self-preservation that DOES NOT SAVE us from ourselves.
- We want to change our consequences but not our hearts.
- We wish to cry tears of remorse but we do not wish to be right with God.
- We so desire for our pain to go away but we do not want to suffer through the discipline our sin has caused.
It is a truth; The Father disciplines His children (not my words but the TRUTH of the Word of God).
“and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
(The Letter to the Hebrews 12: 5-6 NASB)
“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,
NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;
FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES.”
The guilt of this world is not the same as godly guilt, for the that of the world leads only to remorse and death, but as a child of God, His guilt (Godly guilt) leads one to repentance, forgiveness, and restoration.
The Bible tells us so. In the apostle’s Paul’s letter sent to the believers, he comments about the first letter he was led to send to them, a letter that caused the church to feel the weight of Godly grief. The apostle called out in his first letter their sins—the actions, thoughts, and idolatry against Holy God. Then, in his second letter Paul was led by the Spirit to write, we read:
“For though I caused you sorrow by my letter,
(The 2nd Letter of Paul to the Corinthians 7: 8-10 NASB)
I do not regret it;
though I did regret—for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while—
I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful,
but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance;
for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God,
so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us.
For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret,
leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.”
Godly grief hurts.
- We do not like to recognize our sinfulness, but we are sinners save by the GRACE of GOD!
- We do not enjoy taking responsibility for our sins, but we are called to walk in HIS HOLINESS!
- We do not even want others to see our sinful nature, but we are to rejoice when GOD DISCIPLINES US, for that proves we are a CHILD of the KING of KINGS!
GODLY GUILT ALWAYS LEADS TO THANKFUL OBEDIENCE.
- GODLY GUILT ALWAYS LEADS TO THANKFUL PRAISE.
- GODLY GUILT ALWAYS REMINDS US OF GOD’S MERCY, WE SEE THAT WE DO NOT RECEIVE THAT WHICH WE TRULY DESERVE.
- GODLY GUILT ALWAYS ALLOWS US TO REMEMBER GOD’S PERFECT GRACE.
The Christian melody “Jesus Loves” by Zach Williams includes these lyrics:
“You don’t have to fight for His forgiveness . . . Yes Jesus Loves You.
So come on in, the doors are open and so are Jesus’ arms.”
- May we bow on our knees, thankfully praising how the Father disciplines His children. &
- May we seek His forgiveness for our sins & His repentance we never deserve. &
- May we rejoice, for the LORD disciplines those who are HIS children.