I've been thinking more on the lines of Sabbath's realizations today. I posted some of my thoughts on Facebook and a couple friends commented that they believed guilt was a tool of Satan, or rather that emotions should be classified negative or positive, rather healthy or unhealthy. Personally I think semantics are getting in the way of the point a little bit, but it kept me thinking about it, so that's a good thing!
I realized that God has never used guilt with me to draw me to repentance. He has gently pointed out error, He has convicted me of changes that needed to be made in my life, but guilt has never been a driving force of that change. When I feel guilt, when I succumb to guilt, the result is depression and the feeling of being forsaken. I have to say that I don't think anyone would consider those positive emotions.
When God calls us to change, He does it without the condemnation that guilt brings to our hearts. God's way is love. It His love that draws us to repentance. Otherwise, it is the same as a child who obeys because he/she is afraid of his parent, there is no depth in his/her obedience. When they grow older, they will rebel and hopefully learn to obey all over again in a different way.
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