Whats the first thing that happens when a person feels guilty of something? They usually find someone else to blame right. No one wants to talk about their imperfections. I have always been an open book, and with some people it has crippled me. Its very rare that I keep a secret about myself, sometimes it is because I know the result of telling the secret or the secret does not just involve myself. But thats another story, this story has to deal with once again getting forgiveness from God. Like I have stated before, being comfortable with your sins, confessing them, asking for forgiveness not of just the other person but of yourself, then asking forgiveness from God is a step to happiness. Plus it takes away stress from a person life. When you try to bottle up something, at times it eats away your insides. I know I have like 1 or 2 secrets that eat at me. and stuff are put in my path most the time to remind me of the situation. And you start to feel guilty, one of the secrets I blame someone else for not letting me speak on it. Its common to find an escape goat when a person feels guilty. Look at Genesis 3:8-13, the first time the emotion of guilt was felt.
"And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called Adam and said to him, 'where are you?' So he said, 'I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.' And He said, 'Who told you that you were naked?' Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?' Then the man said, 'The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree and I ate.' And the Lord God said to the woman, 'What is this you have done?' The woman said, 'The serpent deceived me, and I ate.'"
The first thing Adam did when questioned by God was play the blame game. He did not take responsibility for his own actions. Everyone has a mind of their own, and everyone has a mouth that can say no. So the fact Adam did not just stand up and say yes I did eat from the tree is the result of placing the blame on someone else, to "feel" less guilty of ones actions. But in result that is not the case. The second thing when Eve was question, she also became defensive and blamed someone else for her own faults. She said the serpent deceived her. Once again placing the blame on someone else. Now what if Adam and Eve took the blame for their own actions, do you think God would of forgave them. I mean it is said that of we forgive those who trespass who will forgive us. What if you harm yourself, don't you think that applies too? Do you think people have to learn to forgive themselves also? Why is it so hard for people to confess their sins and show their imperfections. I am not going mention any names but someone from my past use to drive me crazy because of this one thing, the fact they wanted to seem perfect in everyone else eyes they lied about things, but did not feel they were lying. But every time I might do something similar I was the worst person and the world plus a liar. That alone stress me, so it does not just stress yourself but it could stress someone you involve in this bottle up guilt. You have heard of people who die from stress, and the simple thing is to confess. If it not necessary to confess to another person, you can at least confess to yourself and God. Thats all God wants, is a person to learn true forgiveness. Genesis 42:21 reads,
"Then they said to one another, 'we are truly guilty concerning our brother, for we saw the anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us, and we would not hear; therefore this distress has come upon us.'"
Guilt brings stress, whether you want to admit that it is your own fault that the actions happen, it eats at your insides because deep down you know the truth. Sometimes people actions change because of guilt. They become paranoid, when the simple solution is to confess. Sin can destroy someone life, if that person lets it. God has the solution, and all he wants if you to be able to forgive yourself of your sins. The Devil is the one that has a person feeling guilty and he place obstacles in your way to make you feel God is punishing you. Now I mention how guilt does not only affect you, but also the person you may be lying to about it. Genesis 45:3 reads,
"Then Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am Joseph; does my father still live?' But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed in his presence.
Read that, then look at what forgiveness does as you read Genesis 45:4-8,
"And Joseph said to his brothers, 'Please come near to me.' So they came near, Then he said: 'I am Joseph you brother, whom you sold into Egypt. But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. For these two years the famine has been in the land, and there are still five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity to you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler throughout all the land of Egypt."
Through God Joseph forgave his brothers, and he stood in front of them and told them stop feeling guilty of your actions. Your actions had a purpose, do not let your guilt eat you up. Do not stress over what you did, God does not want that from you. He wants you to be able to live your life in happiness. look at 1 john 1:8-10,
"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not of us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us, our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesses. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
What worth is it to pretend to be perfect, fill yourself with guilt, and call God a liar all at the same time? What does a person gain from that, but acceptance by earth bond people. But is it true acceptance, if it is a lie that you tell? Look at psalm 32:3-5,
"When I kept silent, my bones grew old. Through my groaning all the day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into drought of summer. Slelah. I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' And you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah."
It eats you up insides and kills a person slowly. Shortening a person days on this earth. The reason a person sometimes looks older then they are is because they hold so much inside of them. All God wants is you to acknowledge what you have done. Not hide it away in shame, in the end you are the one living the lie, and you are the one hurting yourself. If you seek the acceptance of earth bond people over God acceptance, what are you really trying to accomplish. Look at 1 timothy 4:1-3,
"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons. speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. "
Some people do not even realize they have departed and given into worldly rules. Like I said, once you seek the acceptance of those around you before God, you have heed to deceiving spirits.
No comments:
Post a Comment