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When Christ rose from the dead, He made it possible for us
all to commune with God without guilt of our sin. We need only accept this
truth, believing He conquered death so we might experience, now and forever,
life eternal with Him. What a gift!
ETERNAL PERSPECTIVES by Sally Bair
Guilt trips
The article title said Guilt Trip. I thought it said Quilt
Trip. One squiggle of a letter made all the difference. I had to laugh because,
from my past experience as a quilt shop owner, I know many quilters who have
gone on quilt trips (shopping for fabric) and ended up on a guilt trip, having
spent more money than they should have. Quilters know how hard it is to resist
buying the pretty, new, can't-live-without fabrics that are displayed in sample
quilts. It doesn't take long to fill a shelf—or closet or room—with new fabric.
I knew one woman who felt so guilty about her fabric
purchases, she told her husband she had bought paper towels, and then threw the
evidence down the basement until she had a chance to hide her stash. Women have
told me about keeping their newly-bought fabrics in the car trunk until they
could sneak them into the house later.
Guilt trips aren't only about quilt trips. They encompass
just about every part of our lives. Ask any alcoholic, shopaholic, workaholic,
foodaholic, liar, thief, adulterer, gossip, or … and they will either admit to
feeling guilty, hide the evidence, or make excuses for the wrongdoing. When we
do wrong, we should feel guilty and
be held responsible.
Romans 3:23 says: "… all have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God." But thanks to
the death and resurrection of Jesus, we all can be free of guilt when we
confess and turn away from our sins, and accept His forgiveness.
God's Holy Spirit wants to keep our consciences sharp. Daily
we should ask ourselves if we have violated God's commands. If so, that's the
time to repent, make amends, and change our attitudes and actions when
necessary.
Lord, sharpen our consciences so we can discern right
from wrong. By Your grace and merciful forgiveness through the shed blood of
Christ, deliver us from the guilt of our sins. Give us the desire and will to
face up to them, and to turn away from all wrongdoing. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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