Guilt Is A Complex Subject…..

Guilt is a complex subject. In modern times, guilt is treated as an enemy of the human spirit. Anything that brings it about is slandered and all attempts are to demolish it. Guilt is seen as a bad thing. To the believer (transcending time), guilt is a way back to God. You see guilt comes about when we violate God’s order. Guilt comes about when we sin. Sin is in our nature, we are born with it. When we sin, our God-given conscience is stirred up. We can either go with the guilt and respond accordingly, by repenting. Or we can suppress the guilt and continuously fight against it. We do this by justifying and rationalizing our sinful behavior. We have a choice in how we see guilt. We can view it as a good thing, as a way of turning us back to God. Or we can view it as a bad thing and fight it by trying to rationalize it away. The difference between the two will determine how long the effects of guilt will last. For the believer, through true repentance, it will immediately be forgiven, relieved of its heaviness. For the worldly viewer, it will linger on and on, burdening the soul until the conscience is completely seared and no longer able to serve its function of warning. Guilt is a good thing. Its a warning system to us. It’s just a matter of how we see and respond to it.

9 Fools make fun of guilt,but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation. 10 Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can fully share its joy. Proverbs 14:9-10