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PROGRAM D-7300
We’ve seen that guilt can be either true or false. I suggested you make a list of the guilts that frequently plague you, and then separate them into true and false guilt. To get rid of true guilt, we simply need to confess and repent and accept God’s forgiveness. But what do we do with those false guilts, the guilts we keep feeling but which are unfounded?
Look at your list of false guilts and ask yourself these questions:
- Why have I taken on this false guilt?
- Have I called it a false guilt, and reminded myself that it is false?
- How long have I been struggling with this false guilt?
Depending on how long you’ve allowed those false guilts to stay around, it may take a while to get rid of them. But every time one of them comes to mind, you stand right up to it, call it what it is—false guilt—and refuse to accept it. Many times I say it out loud, “I refuse to take on this guilt. It is false, it is not from God.” It helps me to verbalize it.
I like the Phillips’s translation of Romans 8:33-34:
“Who would dare to accuse us, whom God has chosen? The judge himself has declared us free from sin. Who is in a position to condemn? Only Christ, and Christ died for us, Christ rose for us, Christ reigns in power for us, Christ prays for us!”
Based on this passage, how do you think God views us when we continue to wallow in guilt that we know is false? Remember, if God is not condemning you, you have no right to let anyone else condemn you, not even yourself. You may not be able to stop the verbal assaults of others who try to dump false guilt on you, but God can give you the strength to screen them out of your mind. Living with guilt is miserable and it robs you of joy and keeps you from a joyful life. So, claim God’s victory today over the false guilt in your life.
Once again I encourage you to sort out the guilt you are feeling and address each area of guilt specifically. Keep remembering that you can get rid of true guilt through confession and forgiveness. And you can stand up to false guilt and declare you are no longer under its power.
I pray that you will take the steps necessary to live free from guilt. God doesn’t send us on guilt trips. He wants to relieve you of all that guilt you’ve been carrying. So, let him do that for you.
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