"The Clutches of Guilt"

  Many, including myself, have been held in the clutch of guilt. People go through many things in life and the result of their choices has led them into guilt. People become despondent so they turn to alcohol only to ruin themselves and those they love. Others get involved in immoral behavior, seduced by another or the internet and it destroys much of them only to feel the guilt and shame. That  is why they hide! Some fail as a parent and it grieves them to watch what their children have become and the agony of guilt sets a hold on the heart. Still others get caught in the drug world which leads to all types of wrong behavior of lying, stealing or angry outbursts and the guilt buries them. This guilt that haunts so many is what produces the anxieties in the life of an individual. Unresolved regret makes emotional wrecks out of people. 

  You don't have to look to hard to see that from the beginning of man creation (Gen. 3). From talking and enjoying the presence of God to hiding, accusing and wanting nothing to do with Him was caused by the guilt of a sinful choice. Fears came into their life. Shame pounded on them. The awareness of their naked condition was discovered simply by sin. And reading carefully the account from Gen. 3 we find the sequence: (1) A choice to sin (2) Guilt (3) Anxiety (4) Fear (5) Shame (6) Hiding and (7) Blame. When our guilt isn't dealt with, our lives become such a struggle. Guilt completely robs people of life! I heard a preacher once proclaim, "You need to fake it until you make it!" That's right, let it keep pounding you and fake because in reality, faking is the hiding of our guilt which results in our anxieties and weariness.

  As guilt destroys us, the grace of God restores us! Jesus confronted man in their guilt and hate only for one purpose: to redeem us from the clutches of the sin that created our guilt. Jesus fought the battle and God made a covenant: "Your sin and lawless deeds I will remember no more!" (Heb. 8:12) How could He do that? Because Jesus Christ paid my debt! Grace given but do we receive it? Jesus paid my price and paid for all those horrible choices I made. Our choice is Him! If you are living in guilt you need to understand why you have so many anxieties and burdens in your life. People blame others, circumstances rather than admit their guilt in the presence of a Father who gave up His Son in your place. Jesus paid that price! I can't undo what I have done but I can have it blotted off the pages of God by the blood of Christ. Never any more remembrance! What graciousness. But there was a price paid by the Lord. It wasn't cheap as it cost the Lord everything. Remember that next time you pray, worship or read. Your right to speak to God is because of Christ. When are you going to come to the Lord confessing, being buried with Him in baptism to raise to newness of life (Rom. 6:3-7)? You already have done that? Why won't you repent and lay yourself, your messed up self at the foot of the cross and commit you life to Him turning away from all those practices that take you down? Cleansing will be there and a newness will come about but that takes a sincere and honest faith! The Lord is waiting.