Carey Scott

Challenging women to be real... not perfect!

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Do You Operate Out Of Guilt?

Do you operate out of guilt?  Is it a big motivating factor in your life?  Some of you may feel guilty:

  • that you don’t spend enough time with your family
  • because of what you ate throughout the day
  • for not volunteering at your child’s school
  • because of things you’ve done in your past

Guilt is defined as having remorseful awareness of having done something wrong or self-reproach for a supposed inadequacy or wrongdoing.

Simply put… when we sin against God, ourselves or others, we can’t let it go.  We feel inadequate.  Unworthy.  Guilt can paralyze us or even worse, cause us to behave in ways that keep us from realizing who we are in Christ.

But… guilt for our sins has no place in the lives of a Christ-follow because when we surrender in faith to Jesus, we no longer have any legal guilt before God.   Let me back that up with scripture…

  • “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace…” (Eph 1:7)
  • “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1)
  • “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgression from us.” (Ps 103:12)

Guilt is a stronghold that needs to be broken, and has been a problem since the beginning of time.

  • It was guilt that caused Adam and Eve to hide when God came looking for them in the garden.
  • It was guilt over his adulterous affair the caused David to say, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away from my groaning all day long.“
  • It was guilt that caused Isaiah to cry out, “Woe is me for I am a man with unclean lips” when he came into the presence of God.
  • When the Pharisees brought the adulterous woman to Jesus and he said, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to through a stone at her,” it was guilt that caused the men to drop their stones and walk away.
  • It was guilt that caused Judas Iscariot to take his own life after he betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.

And unfortunately, guilt continue to plague us even today.  So, what are some practical ways we can begin to rid ourselves of this spirit-breaking and spine-weakening stronghold?

  1. Believe and accept that God has forgiven your sins – past, present, future – through His son
  2. Continue to confess your sins to both God and others as they happen
  3. Stop engaging in the blatant sin that is causing those feelings of guilt… turn back to God’s desire for your life

Hear me!  God doesn’t want you to walk around in guilt any longer!  He wants for you to live a victorious and guilt-free life.  Brothers and sisters, because of Christ… you are guilty no more.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30)

The offer is there… will you take it?

About Carey Scott

Carey Scott is an inspirational speaker, author and life coach, honest about her walk with the Lord… stumbles, fumbles and all. She challenges women to be real... not perfect.

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Comments

  1. Heatherly says

    I read a great article in “P31” that said that we can do one of two things with conviction: we can let it become guilt and self-condemnation, which will inevitably lead to more sin and more conviction… or we can repent and rejoice. (My wording, their writing…)

    One of my life verses is Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

    And as I wrote that (and remembered why it’s my life verse) I finally decided what I’ll be doing my 3 minute on @ SheSpeaks… I think… 😉

  2. Robin Allinger says

    I think “Mom Guilt” is the worst! I battle daily with my strive for perfection there. And with 3 teens in the house, there is no such thing. God has recently revealed that my role is not to be the servant so they can lounge in luxury and sloth. My role is to train, guide and minister (with love) into responsible adulthood.

    So my laundry may not be folded MY way, but they are learning. My dinners may lack perfect plate presentation, but they are involved.
    The dusting and vacuuming may be hap-hazard, but they will get the opportunity to try again. (LOL)
    The bathroom mirrors may have a few streaks, but I am still training on that one.

    It’s a process.

    Am I the perfect PTA Mom? Nope. Don’t even get involved in that.
    Am I the perfect baseball Mom? Nope. I share the responsibility with Dad.
    Am I the perfect teen counselor? Nope. I tend to drone on and on until I have completely lost them.
    Am I the perfect Mom? Yes. I am God’s perfect creation for my children. I give them all of me to the best of my ability…whether it’s perfect to my peers or not…my children know how much I love them and would lay down my life for them.

    Thanks, Carey, for helping me chew on that for a little bit. Love you!

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