Guilt and Shame

Luke 22:61

Guilt, feeling bad about having done something wrong, is one of the most powerful feelings that humans have. We can also deny that we’re experiencing it.  Yet, guilt itself isn’t the worst feeling we encounter.  That might be shame, a negative sense of who you are as a person, which often accompanies guilt.  But is there a way that we can feel guilt without the accompanying (overpowering) shame, one that would lead us towards redemption after experiencing it?  


Questions for further thought:
1. How do you allow for guilt in your life without translating into perpetual shame?

2. Do you acknowledge your guilt before God so that He can use it to forestall the shame you might feel if you kept it to yourself?


​Challenge: Guilt itself isn’t bad.  It often makes us take an honest look at ourselves and our actions.  But we shouldn’t let it transform into overpowering shame, where we feel like we are nothing and can do nothing positive.  Give the guilt to God and let Him use it to teach us the lessons we need to learn, then move forward in His power.  Amen.