Keillor’s tongue in cheek appraisal of guilt belies the
truth. While there may be a few socio-paths
who feel no remorse for their actions and show no capacity for guilt, most of
us know the feelings of guilt only too well.
Religious leaders sometimes revert to guilt as the trump
card to keep church members and parishioners in line. Parents use it with children. Siblings, co-workers and even friends
occasionally rely on it to get their way. When husbands and wives are unable to
settle a heated argument, one or the other often reverts to guilt by recalling
past offenses that were supposedly forgiven and forgotten.
In its best moments, guilt can protect and guide us, much
like the pain that teaches us to avoid a hot stove or sharp objects. When we
respond to guilt with confession and repentance, we can move forward to live a
better life on a higher plane.
But guilt can be destructive and debilitating.
Sometimes we feel guilt over clearly remembered wrongs we
have done. At other times we may feel guilty and not know why. We wake up with a feeling of unworthiness and
shame with no specific deed to identify as the source. Our feelings of guilt
are irrational, leaving us at a loss to identify the source or the solution. Guilt can lock us in its prison and shackle us
so that we feel helpless. It robs us of
energy and steals our joy. Guilt can
leave us smoldering in anger or suffocating in depression.
The good news is that Jesus came to set us free from
guilt.
When confronted with the woman caught in the act of
adultery, he dismissed those who condemned her and said, “Neither do I condemn
you. Go your way and sin no more.” (John 8:1-11).
To the paralytic whose friends tore off the roof to get
their friend to Jesus, he said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” When he sensed
the rising resentments among the Jewish leaders, He said, “’So that you may
know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – He said to
the paralytic, ‘I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and
go home.’ And he got up and
immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that
they were all amazed and were glorifying God.” (Mark 2:1-12).
Paul wrote, “Therefore there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free
from the law of sin and of death. (Romans 8:1-2). And John said, “If
we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us
our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).
We can live our lives free of guilt and self-recrimination.
As John says, “ We will know by this that we
are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is
greater than our heart and knows all things.” (1 John 3:19-20).
An interesting thing happens when God removes our guilt, and
we know it. Not only can we live with greater joy and freedom, we are also no
longer compelled to heap guilt upon others.
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