Guilt

Guilt can be defined as "a feeling of responsibility or remorse for some offense, crime, wrong, etc., whether real or imagined."

I would say that all of as some point in our lives have felt some level of guilt over our actions (or inaction). In some ways guilt can be a good thing in that it can move us to wards a greater empathy for those whom we have hurt. It can also be a powerful force in moving us towards changing the way we act. On the other hand it can also be one of the most debilitating forces. It can lead a person to places where they are unable to do anything because they allow themselves to be consumed by their guilt. So why is that some times guilt can be a powerful force for good in our lives and other times it can be a powerful force for bad?

I wish I had the perfect answer to this question but I do not. What I have learned though is that the Lord's working in our lives has a lot to do with it. To get a better understanding of the interaction between guilt and God I would suggest you take some time and read Psalm 38. In this psalm we see a person whose live feels overwhelmed by their guilt. They have so much guilt that they do not seem to think that they can even continue on with their life. In the end though the writer figures out that he must wait upon the Lord for his deliverance from this pain. This is not an easy answer for guilt but I think it is a great starting point for us as we begin to deal with our guilt.

A part of waiting on God is to seek His guidance in how we are to change our lives, thoughts, actions, etc.. so as to avoid those things which caused our guilt in the first place. In other words, we need to be proactive in our response to guilt. If we truly desire to be out from under the control of guilt then we to literally do something about it.

I am not sure where you are in dealing with guilt. You may be in that place where you are fighting some strong urges to just give up on it all and allow those feelings of guilt to dictate your life. You may be in the process of moving forward with your guilt or you may not even be dealing with guilt (though you probably will some day). No matter where you are today I suggest you seek the Lord's great and infinite wisdom and allow Him to be the controlling force in your life.