Overcoming Guilt

For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:11-14).

Have you ever had a gnawing sense of guilt about a particular sin that you couldn't shake -- even after you sincerely confessed it to God? I think most Christians have had that experience from time to time. For some guilt-ridden souls it’s the norm.

Psalm 103 presents three powerful truths about God and his love that will help us overcome the soul-withering power of guilt.

First, magnify the mercy of God. Never let anything overshadow the mercy of God in your life. It’s among the greatest and most celebrated of his attributes. How great is the mercy of God toward those who revere him? As high as the heavens are above the earth says the psalmist. That’s his way of saying God’s mercy is infinite and immeasurable. No one has ever sincerely prayed Lord, have mercy without receiving an  affirmative response from God.

Second, understand that when God forgives he removes our transgressions from us. Forgiveness isn’t just a pronouncement; it’s a removal. The sin is expunged from our eternal record. As to this removal, the psalmist affirms that our sins are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. Now just how far is the east from the west? If you head east you will always be traveling east. No matter how far you go or how long you travel, you will still be traveling east. That’s the psalmist's way of saying our sins have been infinitely removed from us. Believe it and affirm it.

Third, know that God understands and sympathizes with our weakness: For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. Never think that your weakness offends God. On the contrary! Our weakness inspires his compassion. Our Great High Priest, Jesus, has experienced human weakness firsthand through the incarnation. Therefore we should never let feelings of unworthiness prevent us from coming to him: Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

So when you find yourself struggling with guilt, meditate on Psalm 103:11-14. It’s strong medicine for the soul.

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The Holy Spirit: Our Indwelling prayer Partner

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God (Romans 8:26-27).

In times of trouble we instinctively turn to God in prayer. But at such times prayer can be exceedingly difficult. Weakened and emotionally numb, we do not know how to pray as we ought. In the face of bewildering circumstances we cannot fathom the will of God. Our words seem empty and useless as we struggle to articulate our heart’s longing.

 

For example, a loved one is in the final stages of cancer. We don’t want to lose our loved one but at the same time we want their suffering to end. Do we continue to pray for healing or do we ask God to take them home?

Paul assures us that the Holy Spirit is ever present to help us at such times. Even when we don’t know what to pray, the Spirit intercedes for us according to the will of God. The Spirit, who dwells in the deepest recesses of the soul, understands our longings and wordless groans even if we don’t. He makes our heart's desire known to God in perfect harmony with his will.

When we find ourselves pressed beyond measure by the trials of life, how reassuring it is to know we have an indwelling prayer partner: the Holy Spirit of God.

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Faith and Stormy Weather

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher. Don’t you care if we drown?”

                                                Mark 4:35-38

Sometimes we think that if we follow Christ and do his will, we will be shielded from troubles and misfortune. Such is not the case. Following Christ, in fact, practically guarantees that we will encounter all kinds of troubles, trials, and temptations (see James 1:2 and 1 Peter 4:12).

It was clearly Christ’s will for the disciples to cross over to the far shore – he had asked them to do so. Moreover, he was right there in the boat with them. But none of this prevented a furious squall from arising. The waves were crashing over the boat to the point that it was sinking.

The disciples – and don’t forget many of them were experienced fishermen – were in a state panic. And when they saw Jesus in the front of the boat sleeping, they thought he didn’t care: Lord, we’re drowning!

But Jesus wasn’t unconcerned. He was sleeping because he was exhausted and because, storm or no storm, he had perfect faith in the loving protection of his Father.

How easy it is to have faith when the sun is shining. How hard in the midst of a raging storm! Storms and trials come our way to test and refine our faith. Believe without wavering that you are precious to God and that your life is in his hands. And the Lord of the waves will bring you safely ashore.