“He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”
Micah 7:19
If you have believed in Jesus as your Savior, you have been set free from sin He had conquered on the cross for you. With that came freedom from everything that would keep you enslaved as a sinner - fear, lack of purpose, confusion, guilt and shame. In Him, Christ has given you freedom.
If you still feel guilty and ashamed of something you have done, you are not alone. Everyone has sinned, and one of the results of sin is guilt. Think about Adam and Eve, the first sinners. In Genesis 3:8 we read that right after the two disobeyed God’s commandment, they hid themselves from the presence of God because they were afraid. They knew that what they had done was wrong.
The knowledge of good and evil gives us an opportunity to choose what’s right, but when we do choose what we know leads to bad consequences, we get ourselves trapped in feeling guilty and ashamed. Not forever, though! The blood of Jesus covers our sins forever.
Love covers our sins (1 Peter 4:8).
If you have made a poor decision which you haven’t repented of, do it. Bring your burden to His feet and ask for forgiveness. He is merciful and faithful to forgive those who repent and turn away from sin (1 John 1:9).
If you have been haunted by the sins of your past and the lies the enemy keeps whispering to you, be aware that the enemy has a plan for your life too - his mission is to do whatever it takes to destroy your confidence in God, kill the joy of Salvation, and create obstacles on your way to fulfilling your God-given purpose. You are deceived if you think that your past mistakes define you. You are lied to if you believe that you will never be accepted because of what you have done.
Jesus took the punishment for all your sins; He died in your place so you could live and enjoy freedom from guilt and shame. He accepted you the way you were - imperfect and broken - because He loves you.
Whenever you start doubting your Salvation and feeling guilty and ashamed again, turn to the Word of God and His promises. They will remind you of who you are in Christ and who you are as a child of God.
You are forgiven.
You were set free to pursue and enjoy the life of purpose God created you for.
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