APP: What do you do about guilty feelings? How much do you understand about guilt? The word guilt refers to a sense of wrongdoing—it’s an emotional conflict that occurs from second thoughts about a specific action or thought. God’s method for clearing away these feelings is through repentance—asking for forgiveness for our wrong actions and thoughts, and turning away from them. But sometimes we still are plagued with guilt. Why? It’s because these guilty feelings have their source in something other than sin.
Feelings of false guilt may come as a result of legalism imposed by others at church. Or they could be from painful childhood memories of abuse and feeling responsible for what happened. They could also come as a result of criticism from others who have set up false standards that you are supposed to measure up to. Don’t let the devil or anyone else use feelings of false guilt to harass you. Keep short accounts with God about sin. Confess it and move on. If you still have guilty feelings, ask God to show you the source of this regret and to help you deal with it in a healthy way.
Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD. And you forgave the guilt of my sin.
PSALM 32:5 NIV
Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me—now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.
PSALM 51: 8–10 NLT
Do not hold us guilty for the sins of our ancestors! Let your compassion quickly meet our needs, for we are on the brink of despair. Help us, O God of our salvation! Help us for the glory of your name. Save us and forgive our sins for the honor of your name.
PSALM 79:8–9 NLT
And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
HEBREWS 10:21–23 NLT