Guilt Gets a Bad Rap

How many times have you heard, “God does not want you to feel guilty”?

Nonsense. That twinge of conscience we feel when we do wrong is not a bad thing. Just the opposite is true. Guilt can be a precious gift from God that serves His purposes in our lives. It warns us away from moral danger. It prompts us to better behavior.

If you succumb to your besetting sin for the millionth time and it hurts, good. God is still dealing with you. As my pastor preached one Father’s Day, “it is never too late to become a better man.” Don’t give up. Pick yourself up determined to do better.

Far from “getting over our guilt,” we should worry if we do wrong and feel no guilt. That may mean our conscience has been seared, and we are no longer sensitive to God’s leading. That is a place we never want to be.

Christ paid the price for our sin at Calvary, and God has removed that sin from us “as far as the east is from the west.” We can embrace God’ forgiveness, and there is no need to wallow in despair over past sins. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. If that is what you mean by “God does not want you to feel guilty,” OK.

But God does not want us to go through life oblivious to our sinfulness. He wants us to know when we have done wrong, and he uses guilt as the messenger. The remedy for that kind of guilt is not to ignore it or wish it away but to pray to the Spirit for grace to overcome and do better next time.