Sometimes life’s most valuable lessons begin with failure.  Recently, I embarked on one of these lessons by allowing thoughtless words to fly unchecked.  Too late to retrieve them, I found myself in an acute state of unrest and basically dysfunctional.  I was the only one to blame for those words, and I needed a stern reproof.  After asking God’s forgiveness, I knew what else had to be done.  A phone call to the offended individual.  And the request, “Will you forgive me?”  The response was unforgettable:  ‘Yes.  100%.’

Struck with the finality of my accepted apology, I considered the forgiveness I had asked from the Lord.  God’s Word says forgiveness through Christ is guaranteed.  But how forgiven does “forgiven” mean?  Do we need to ask 70 x 7 times for every offense?  Is faultless action required from now on in order for His forgiveness to take affect?

Opening my Bible to the book of Colossians, these words leaped from the pages of chapter 1: “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.” Colossians 1:21-22 (NKJV)

Our holy God Who is wronged numerous times by our actions and the state of our hearts knows we are often to blame and need reproof.  But Christ presents us to God with no stain on our record and no accusation against us.  We are far from being worthy of this standing, but it is ours through our union with Christ in His blameless life and perfect death in our place.

Is forgiveness through Christ final?

Yes. 100%!

Father, Thank You for this amazing truth.  May we never dishonor You by accepting our standing cheaply.  Cause our lives to grow into the likeness of our position in Your Son.  In His Name we ask. Amen.

By Bethany Hayes
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  Did You Know that You are Someone Special?
•   What a Friend we Have in Jesus
•  Salvation Explained

Follow Us On:

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Pinterest

The post 100% can be found at Thoughts about God.

Read: Psalm 32:1-7

Guilt comes from a feeling of responsibility for some wrongdoing.

Conviction can result from the Holy Spirit’s efforts to turn us away from sin and guide us to our heavenly Father. But not all guilt stems from ungodly actions.

False guilt, which is not prompted by sin, can surface for a variety of reasons, such as disappointment in one’s own performance, a sense of shame over past events, or criticism from others for unmet expectations. Rejection or a pattern of abuse from childhood can also trigger this emotion. False guilt is a powerful weapon the enemy uses to direct our thoughts away from the Lord.

Whether false or real, the emotion of guilt divides our mind, drains our energy, and creates a sense of insecurity. If we allow it to linger, we can start to have doubts about God’s goodness and love for us. Depression and hopelessness may follow. To cope, some people develop compulsive behaviors in an attempt to replace self-reproach with something pleasurable. Excessive amounts of food, television, internet, shopping, and exercise are common ways people try to push away self-condemning thoughts.

Addressing guilt quickly is important. Acknowledge the emotion to the Lord, and identify the reason behind it. If you’ve violated God’s law, ask His forgiveness, and take steps to change the behavior. If you discover false guilt, confess it and ask God to adjust your thinking to match His. In either case, praise Him because He doesn’t want His children carrying unnecessary burdens and has promised to forgive our sins.

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

Comments: If you don’t see our response form, please go to https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/blog/charles-stanley_guilty-feelings/

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: http://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

Follow Us On:

The post Dealing With Guilty Feelings can be found at Thoughts about God.