Some Really Good News for You! How to Live Today Free of Guilt

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My family loves to tease me about my ever-ready willingness to accept the blame and bear the guilt for just about anything that has ever gone wrong.

Occasionally, when Rev and my daughter know that I couldn’t possibly have been at fault, they will grin and blame me anyway.

How bad is it? My daughter told me that once when talking with her friends about my inclination to accept responsibility they all giggled and said, “Yay, that’s really great to know. From now on, when I mess up I’m just going to blame Deb!”

Deep inside, we all know the truth . . . guilt is something that is always owned personally.

Guilt can feel like anything from the sense that we’re just not doing all we can like mommy-guilt; to deep sorrow over something we’ve done that had an impact on us and on others. There are even times when it can be deep-seated and haunting.

John has a word of hope and encouragement . . . a word to remind us that even when we feel guilty over our failures to love the way Christ wants us to:

Let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.

1 John 3:18–20

Satan is the “accuser.” He wants us to live overwhelmed and shut down because of guilt. But God…

God’s love is so deep and His forgiveness so complete that we can live free of guilt and be at peace through His love and forgiveness. When you and I go to Him asking for Him to forgive us, He looks at our hearts and He sees Jesus!

So, let’s humbly carry the burden of our guilt and shame to the foot of the cross and leave it there. Let’s make it the desire of our hearts to love God and love others because this is God’s will for us. (Romans 12:2)

A Prayer to Live Free of Guilt Through Jesus

Father, I fail You so often. I fail the people I love. I fail to love in ways that glorify You. And the enemy taunts me every day about these failures. I am so very sorry. Please forgive me.

Thank you for your promises that I can be forgiven because Jesus suffered my punishment (1 John 2:2). Thank you for promising that You forgive those who come to You through confession and repentance (1 John 1:9). Your Word promises that through forgiveness my sins are blotted out (Acts 3:19) and removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).

You promise that Your grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9), that You are rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4), and that Your love lasts forever (Psalm 136). Because of who You are and because You have forgiven me in and through Jesus, I can live free of guilt (Psalm 32:5).

I thank and praise You! I come to You and humbly give myself to You. Please help me. Fill me with Your love until it overflows through me to everyone around me. I ask that You will help me live in ways that everyone I meet can see Your love in me. Please help me through the power of Your Spirit, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Friend, take your guilt to the foot of the cross and leave it there. By God’s grace, through Jesus, you can be completely forgiven. You don’t have to feel guilty anymore.

God in His grace and mercy removed your guilt and ‘sin’ label and replaced it with words like…

Chosen. Child. Friend. Masterpiece. Treasure. Beloved.

Live with joy – you are free in Jesus!

On today’s note write:

Praise God for Jesus who frees me of guilt!

May God bless you today as you celebrate God’s grace, mercy, and love that sets you free of guilt because of Jesus.

Click here to read the rest of 1 John 3.

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