Dropping the Guilt Baggage

Last night our Final Words From the Cross discussion group was lively as we talked about Lent, the reason for self-examination, and forgiveness.  Many of us start squirming at the thought of sin and confession—mostly from a sense of denial, I reckon, unless it’s looking at others and recognizing their sins.  It’s easy to justify our own mistakes, slip-ups and judgmentalism, being that we know our intentions, or so we tell ourselves.  If we’re fully honest, however, we admit that instead of putting God and love at the center of our lives, we place ourselves and our selfishness smack dab in the center of our personal universe, much to the detriment of healthy relationships that separate ourselves from God and one another.  Note the word “sin” and that “I” in the middle, or as one participant last night pointed out, “Ego stands for Edging God Out.”

If that weren’t bad enough, if we recognize that trait, we often jump to the conclusion that we are guilty, guilty, guilty.  Which equals bad, bad, bad.  God may forgive us, but we have trouble forgiving ourselves for our grievances.  Such thinking is often promoted by power-sources who want to maintain control through fear.  I’ll let you figure out those sources, but the media is chocked full of that message from all directions, reinforcing what our distorted egos are already telling us.  Are we really arrogant enough to deny God’s forgiveness by placing our own judgment above that of our Creator? 

Adam Hamilton drives home the point in this Lenten study that God’s forgiveness, as lifted up before the whole world from Jesus’ lips praying forgiveness for us from the cross, is blatant.  What more could God do?  In the midst of the torture and anquish, betrayal and denial, Jesus is praying for our forgiveness.  We hadn’t even said we were sorry, and God is forgiving us.  It may be time to accept that forgiveness and get on with things.

I’ve shared before that even more than John 3:16, is the verse that follows, for me.  “For God came into the world not to condemn the world, but to save it.”  Not to make us wallow around in guilt, but to accept us and encourage us to turn in God’s direction rather than our own.  Turn to love, and abandon fear.  Abandon, in other words, that baggage of guilt.  Use it as a symptom pointing to something that needs to be corrected or healed, and move on.  

It’s a beautiful thing, our need for forgiveness and God’s willingness to give it.  Open those windows and let that fresh air into your soul.  That’s what I’m doing today, and I hope every day.

That’s the view from my desk this beautiful afternoon.  See you Sunday, and even Wednesday evening to enter further discussion!

Grace and joy,

Julie