Coming Out of the Cage of Guilt

The passage today was good for me to read...considering there are many times I think back to mistakes and sinful behavior I've given in to and think that I'm not qualified to be doing things "in the name of God". There are people in this world who probably think that is a complete insult to God himself. Nate and I have actually had people tell us we are not qualified for ministry. Understandably so. However, God says something different.

"The moment we confess our sin to God, our sin is forgiven and forgotten. But for most of us, it is far easier to accept God's forgiveness than to forgive ourselves. Why? Because we can forgive, but unlike God, we cannot forget. If we don't allow the grace of God to saturate and sanctify our sinful memories, we continue to experience false guilt over confessed sin. We become so fixated on past mistakes that we forfeit future opportunities. We mistakenly think our mistakes disqualify us from being used by God. And our feelings of guilt become the cage that keeps us from chasing the Wild Goose.

Whether you are experiencing true guilt that is a by-product of unconfessed sin or false guilt that is the by-product of confessed sin, both forms of guilt dull your spiritual sense of adventure. And you won't be able to chase the Wild Goose until you get past your guilty feelings. The good news is that there is forgiveness and freedom because of what Christ accomplished on the cross. And if you receive His grace, it will not only recondition your spiritual reflexes, it will transform your life."