ISAIAH 43:1
It’s so easy for me to fall into shame and guilt! Shame, because I haven’t held up the standards I feel I must meet. I began to grow tired because of the heavy weight that I feel I must carry. Guilt, because sometimes I don’t want to do anything but watch a movie and sleep. I don’t want to feel guilty anymore, but I can’t get away from it. Thoughts keep coming to me about how I did something wrong or how I messed up over there, and I can’t forget about it! These feelings of guilt and shame flood my whole body, and I want to run to my bed and cry.”Why can’t I do anything right? God must be disappointed with me!” I feel like there is no way out from this hole. I feel I can’t go to God because there is no way He will forgive me again! But these are lies, not the truth, and I don’t have to be entrapped by the guilt anymore! Christ has taken all the guilt and shame on Himself. He carried it all to the cross and buried it, so it will never be found! I don’t have to carry the load on my own, and the fact is, I can’t. Christ has redeemed me and delights in me. And God accepts because of Christ. It is true that I am a rotten sinner, but I have freedom in Christ and in Him I am guiltless and free.
Hailey Howerton, 16, home school, Greenville, SC
Don’t let me get caught up in being
ashamed and guilty, Lord, because this keeps
me from doing work for You. When I ask You
to forgive me, I want to believe I am truly forgiven.