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Sep 17
Guilt— Have you ever considered it as desirable? Not the state of being guilty, mind you, as in to have committed an act that demands recompense. Rather, as a compass to guide us or a sail to propel us in a desired direction. Guilt can become a destructive and erosive force in our lives when it does not serve its designed purpose. Like all things, guilt is a Godly designed emotion. It is only through our desire to protect our frail egos or to “feel good” about ourselves that it has become a shadow of itself. In the field of secular psychology, much has been devoted to alleviating guilt in people. All of these attempts to clinically alleviate guilt in others have failed in one primary regard. The question of “how can we help people live a guilt free life?” may have been the wrong question to ask in the first place. Perhaps the more appropriate question is “should we try to alleviate guilt in our lives?” Guilt, as a state of being is certainly not a desirable place to live. However guilt as a feeling in the face of our own ungodliness is not only desirable but necessary.
And I said: ‘O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.’ Ezra 9:6
Guilt – Have you ever considered it as desirable? Not the state of being guilty, mind you, as in to have committed an act that demands recompense. Rather, as a compass to guide us or a sail to propel us in a desired direction. Guilt can become a destructive and erosive force in our lives when it does not serve its designed purpose. Like all things, guilt is a Godly designed emotion. It is only through our desire to protect our frail egos or to “feel good” about ourselves that it has become a shadow of itself. In the field of secular psychology, much has been devoted to alleviating guilt in people. All of these attempts to clinically alleviate guilt in others have failed in one primary regard. The question of “how can we help people live a guilt free life?” may have been the wrong question to ask in the first place. Perhaps the more appropriate question is “should we try to alleviate guilt in our lives?” Guilt, as a state of being is certainly not a desirable place to live. However guilt as a feeling in the face of our own ungodliness is not only desirable but necessary.
In his book, “Rumors of Another World”, Philip Yancey writes “Guilt is not a state to cultivate or a mood to slip into for a few days. It should have directional movement, first pointing backward to the sin and then pointing forward to change. A person who feels no guilt can never find healing. Yet neither can a person who wallows in guilt. The sense of guilt only serves its designed purpose as a symptom if it presses us toward cure.” Guilt, as recognition of our wrongs, is a necessary first step in the path to repentance. To avoid the negative and uncomfortable feelings that we experience as a result of our actions can be an attempt to justify our actions. Justification is, ultimately, an attempt to excuse our negative or sinful behavior. Excusing our behavior prevents us from confessing it to God as sin. In Romans, Paul makes it clear that God is the one who justifies us (Romans 8:30-33). So then to ignore or avoid a feeling of guilt is an attempt to justify ourselves in our own eyes or in the eyes of others. This diminishes the work of God through Christ.
Conversely, when we acknowledge our guilt as a precursor to confession of sin we allow God to turn it into something useful. It is a necessary step in allowing God to do His work of redemption and renewal in our hearts and lives. Guilt can then become an ally in our struggle to become more Christ-like in our character as opposed to an uncomfortable feeling to avoid. Saint Augustine wrote: “The confession of evil works is the first beginning of good works”. A sense of guilt of wrongs is the catalyst to confession of evil works. Confession is the hinge on which the door of repentance hangs. Guilt and confession are then integral parts of the process of change. This is the idea conveyed in the Greek word “metanoia” which we translate as repentance. Guilt, as a movement towards repentance is what Yancey speaks of when he calls guilt useful “if it presses us toward cure”. It is interesting to note that psychologist, Carl Jung, used the term metanoia to describe a reforming of the psyche as a means of self healing. Although he clearly did not attribute this “reforming” to God or as a necessary process in spiritual formation, he did recognize the benefits of the process in individual mental health.
So then, what should we do with a feeling of guilt when it creeps into our minds? Well, perhaps the first step is to embrace and explore it rather than to try to avoid it for our own comfort. Several questions of self examination might be asked when this feeling is present. First, does this feeling of guilt point back to some sin in my life? Is this sin part of a pattern of behavior or was it a “one time” occurrence? Does this feeling point me towards a “cure” or Godly change in my life? Have I damaged my witness for Christ through this behavior? What must I confess to God? How can I engage in a process of repentance over this? These questions allow the sail of “guilt” to be filled so that we move from our current state towards Godliness. The rudder of the Holy Spirit can then steer us “toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:14) After all, a rudder on a stationary vessel is useless. We need the winds of guilt to generate the motion so that the Holy Spirit can steer us toward Christ-likeness.