The cure for guilt

A friend has been asked to do a reading at a non-Christian funeral. She asked for suggestions and my husband thought a good topic would be something about forgiveness.

Do people carry around a load of guilt? Some might admit it. Some struggle to erase it by doing good, by striving, by constantly apologizing. Others excuse their errors and sins by blame-shifting or long explanations. A few people grieve and continually beat themselves up for even the small mistakes.

What works? The Bible says (and my experiences verifies) that there is nothing better than forgiveness. King David of Israel knew it long before God showed it to me. His struggles with guilt gave him great physical discomfort, never mind mental anguish. But he knew the way to blessing . . . 

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found.” (Psalm 32:1–6)

In David’s day, forgiveness involved faith in the sacrificial system given to His people. It was bloody and many lambs had to die, but by faith and God’s grace, sinners were set free from their sin — until the next time and the next sacrifice. Yet by faith, they believed God’s promise of a Messiah and waited for a better way . . .

“And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, ‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,’ then he adds, ‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’ Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.” (Hebrews 10:11–18)

Fortner gives a good description of God’s forgiveness. He says it is complete and absolute. God will never charge any believer with any sin. We might sin a thousand times a day yet God will not charge us with sin. Even David committed adultery and murder, yet God did not lay that to his account. Even Peter denied Christ with an oath, God did not charge Peter with sin. I might commit hideous offenses, but God will not charge me with sin. Along with all those who are in Christ, God will not charge my sin against me because my standing and acceptance with God is not about my goodness or anything about me; it is in Christ my Substitute who took all sin and the penalty for sin upon Himself. All my sin is covered, washed in His blood.

^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, You forgave it all. I still feel guilt over current sin, yet can come to You confessing it (as David did) and know the freedom and grace of forgiveness. I don’t need to excuse it, blame others, or beat myself up. I just need to agree with You about the wrong that I do, confess it, and enjoy the blessing of knowing You do not count it against me. Hallelujah, You are the Lamb of God who takes away my sin!