Dealing with false guilt Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.” —Isaiah 6:6–7
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f Satan, the great accuser, can burden us with guilt for serving and loving others, he will find a way to do it. So we need to learn to recognise whether we’re dealing with true guilt stemming from an offence, or false guilt from selfcondemnation or the weight of other people’s expectations.
When you feel guilt pressing in, take your feelings to God in prayer, consult His Word, and be honest—and fair—to yourself. Ask yourself: • Does my guilt come from a sinful action or attitude?
• Is the guilt coming from the condemning attitude of others or myself ? • Am I relying on my works and service to gain approval? • Am I willing to rest in the knowledge that my sufficiency comes from God? If your honest assessment uncovers sources of true guilt, it is a signal to confess, repent, and seek reconciliation. But if you discover that your guilt is false, then consider building boundaries to protect yourself from the unnecessary burden of unrealistic expectations.
• Have I violated a principle or You can start by establishing command of Scripture? healthy, God-honouring • Am I trying to meet an priorities. Your first priority unrealistic expectation? should be your spiritual life: seek God in prayer and through His • Am I trying to be perfect? 44
