Wither or Flourish: Letting Go of Guilt

Whether you're a newly converted Christian or a woman that's been on a journey for years with Christ, something may consume you in the deepest hours of the night. Something consumes your mind on your daily walk that no one else knows-guilt. Maybe you're confined of guilt from something you've done years ago before your walk with Christ began or maybe it was during your walk with Christ. You're thinking to yourself, "How could I have possibly done that?" "God will never forgive me." "God hates me." Well, I can assure you that God doesn't hate you and forgiveness is near if you sincerely repent and let go of lies from the enemy.

People will constantly bring up how you used to be, while God sees you as new. He sees you as whole, while the world sees you as the broken girl or woman you used to be. Why is that? There are a few reasons, starting with many of those worldly friends you had can't come to grasp with the new you and their unchanged selves. They're still stuck in an environment of unrepentant sin, insisting that you think you're better than them. But that isn't the case. The fact is you saw the light. Remember our word says, "Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matt. 7:14)

You have been changed by his unchanging hand, so lingering to past pain should be avoided. That pain can destroy you and hinder your new walk. Just as a flower doesn't grow without sunshine or water, your walk can wither from the dirt of the past. God doesn't want us to be miserable from the things of the past, but instead flourish to bring others to his kingdom.

In the midst of your tears of guilt, cry out to God for his forgiveness, if you haven't already. Psalms 34:18 tells us, "he Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." And just as you would claim everything else in life, claim his forgiveness and meditate on his truth. With this I'm reminded of Psalms 103:12, which says, "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." I pray you confront your guilt and let God handle the rest. Again, he wants us to flourish, not wither. Stay encouraged.


 ♫ It's over now
    And I don't have to walk with my head hanging down
    It's over now 'Cause my feet is on solid ground  ♫

 ♫ You took my fear and gave me faith
     And took away my shame and gave me grace
     Then you lifted my burden off my shoulder
    And you didn't walk away when you came closer ♫

 ♫ Sunshine after the rain
   You have taken away my pain
   Someway and somehow
   It's over now, the storm is over now ♫