Guilty As Charged! No More

Guilty As Charged! No More

By Angie Ketcham

This has been one of those weeks that I had many opportunities to feel guilty.  Guilty because I was working outside of the home and didn’t get to put in a lot of one on one time with my kids and their homeschooling.  Guilty because I have been extremely tired and taking naps after working, then going to bed early and sleeping in until the last possible minute I can, leaving out my devotion time with the Lord.  Guilty because my patience hasn’t been where it usually is (see above reasons) and I’ve raised my voice and made unnecessary threats to children that don’t seem to correctly measure the temperature of the situation.  Guilty because I have to follow through with threats of not allowing friends to play over this weekend because chores and schoolwork didn’t get done in a timely manner.  Guilty that I let someone down by not meeting their expectations of me.  Guilty that I didn’t accomplish my endless list of to-dos and should-haves like laundry and grocery shopping, to name a few.  Guilty.   And the laundry list goes on.  Yet that still, small voice speaks to me very clearly that THIS is not the plan God has for me.  THIS is NOT how I need to walk in the freedom that I have been given in Christ.

Guilt is a common emotion among mothers from the time their babies are born.  Sometimes it comes from a comparison to other mothers and sometimes it comes from our own expectations of who we should be.  It is important to find the balance on what is healthy and what is unhealthy guilt.

Finding A Balance Between Healthy and Unhealthy Guilt
Not all guilt is bad.  Sometimes it can be healthy, as it gives us a nudge to move forward with what needs to be done.  Take, for instance, my guilt for spending time in the Word.  I consider this a healthy nudge from God to get back in the place that I need to be.  When this guilt comes on it is best that I acknowledge it and re-prioritize, and read my Bible.  It is the same with exercising and eating healthy.  These are positive guilt that, if acknowledged can lead to positive results.

Unhealthy guilt is false guilt that points out my faults and shortcomings.  These thoughts are usually a comparison to other people or expectations that are unrealistic or beyond my control.  These thoughts only give me a sense  of failure and overwhelm me before I even get started.  These are lies from the devil that tell me I’m a failure and I will never measure up.  But the truth is that God’s Word says in Ephesians 2:10:  “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”  He already knew what we could handle and He never expects more than giving it all to Him and letting Him use the mess that we are right where we are at.  When faced with a situation whether you need to know if it’s healthy or unhealthy guilt, ask yourself these 3 questions:

·        How does God view this situation?

·        What does His Word say about it?

·        What does God want me to do?

I’m thankful that God knows my name and He knows the plans He already has for me.  I can REST in Him knowing that He’s already got every situation under control and He already knew that I was going to mess up with whatever I’ve messed up with.  I’m thankful He’s a forgiving God and gentle, loving Father that has grace and allows us to meet Him wherever we are and start fresh each morning without carrying the guilt that the world would have us carry.  You, Momma, don’t need to carry unhealthy guilt, as it has been washed away as far as the east is from the west.  Now, get up and carry on with your day!