Dear Coach Megan,
I am really struggling with letting go of feelings of guilt I have had over things I did a long time ago. I am hoping that you can give me some direction on how to let go of this guilt that is keeping me locked up inside. I know God needs me free from this so that I can truly live free and forgiven for his glory. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give! ~S.J.
Thank you so much for your questions, S.J!
I remember when my kids were little and they would fall and scrape their knee on the playground. They would come running towards me at full speed, tears in their eyes for me to kiss it and make them feel better. It always worked, every time….a big hug and lots of love always made the sting of a scrape feel that much better. A few moments later, they would run off again, to play in the sun without a care in the world. The same is true when we take our bruised and broken lives to God…. He forgives and forgets, and it ALWAYS works! AND…when we trust in Him, He takes away all the guilt.
Luke 5:20
When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Please, dear friend, do not stay stuck in the ditch of guilt! God has so much bigger and better plans for you that cannot be fulfilled to their fullest until you let yourself be FREE and transformed! I have some practical steps for you today that I pray will help you grow in Christlike maturity and bring all your guilt to our forgiving God for good! Grab a journal, print this out, and get ready to work through all the guilt that is holding you captive so you can finally be set free!
1. Find the source of your guilt
- Examine why you feel guilty
- Determine if your guilt is true or false
- Use Scripture as the ONLY standard for determining true guilt
Psalm 51:6
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
2. Own the responsibility for your sin
- Agree with God that you are guilty of sinning
- Ask God to reveal your personal sin patterns
- Make restitution to those you have sinned against
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
- Thank God for the gift of His Son, who paid for your forgiveness
- Thank God for His unending forgiveness, even if you don’t feel forgiven
- Choose to believe what God says
Ephesians 1:7
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace
4. Stop and give up for good dwelling on the past
- Give up holding on to past pain
- Give up self-condemnation
- Give up refusing to forgive others
Isaiah 43:18
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
5. Invest time in renewing your mind
- Memorize scriptures that reinforce God’s forgiveness
- Remember that in Christ, you are a “new creation” {2 Corinthians 5:17}
- Learn to see yourself as a valuable child of God
Ephesians 4:22-23
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,
which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;
6. Verify satan’s lies to God’s truth when satan accuses
- Learn to discern the difference between the Holy Spirit’s voice and that of satan
- Answer satan’s accusations with truth from Scripture
- Verbalize a personal prayer receiving God’s forgiveness
Isaiah 54:17
“No weapon forged against you will prevail,
and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord,
and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.
7. Exchange your life for the life of Christ
- Understand you cannot live the Christian life in your own strength
- Allow Christ to transform you and live out His character through you
- Continue to nurture the Holy Spirit’s presence through personal prayer and Bible study
Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
The life I now live in the body,
I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
8. When you obey Him, God brings your feelings in line with the facts
- Know that God is a God of second chances
- Know that your feelings won’t change immediately
- Know that feelings usually follow thinking
Psalm 32:1-2
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.
Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Dear God,
We ask You to give us the discernment to know when we are feeling false guilt instead of true guilt. Please Lord, have Your Spirit convict us when we are headed the wrong way so that we will get on the right path and be in line with Your will. We also pray that we will always be sensitive to the convicting touch of the Holy Spirit’s hand. Thank You that we are forgiven and set free through the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross. We pray these things in Your holy name, amen <3
Blessings,
Coach Megan 🙂
