Letting Go of the Guilt

Here's a very good article from Relevant.com about something we could all use less: guilt-based Christianity. Saying Goodbye to Guilt-Driven Christianity by Dr. Alvin Reid and Jonathan Merritt makes the point that if we spend more time guilting ourselves (or even worse, others) rather than enjoying Grace, we are missing the point.

Amen!

It's easy to beat ourselves up and think we didn't do enough, or give enough, or pray enough, or memorize scripture enough, or...you fill in the blank here. And certainly, there are things we do or say or think that should make us feel guilty. I believe that God gives us a conscience for a reason. But the constant worries and pity parties and mental drubbings we give ourselves really has got to stop.

That's Jesus' idea, not mine.

Jesus tells us to come as we are. We're not perfect, but he doesn't expect us to be. He hand-picked 12 disciples that were a far cry from perfect. (Barely competent, in some instances). He hung with tax collectors, and prostitutes, lepers and...(gasp)...women and children! (oh, the horror!) He proclaimed each person has infinite worth, even if society didn't agree.

Realizing that Jesus doesn't expect me to fill the role of "perfect human being" has been so liberating for me personally. It's wonderful to know that our savior likes us, scratch that, LOVES us just as we are.

So why is it so hard for us to do the same?

A good friend of mine recently admitted that she doesn't really believe she's an awesome mom (which she is) because, among other things, her cupcakes don't turn out perfect. I married a woman who just exudes awesomeness at every level, but she often beats herself up for an array of transgressions that to me, aren't that big of deal, but to her, are signs that she is an abject failure. Nothing could be further from the truth. I've suffered through more restless nights of sleep than I'd care to admit because I thought I hadn't pleased a boss, who probably wasn't going to be totally pleased no matter what I did.

How messed up is that?

Some of this has to do with our nature. Some our nurture. But no matter why we are wired the way we're wired, Jesus tells us that he will help us travel light. The past mistakes are forgiven. The future is in his hands. We have but the present moment to deal with. And without the weight of the past or the burden of the future to bear, that makes things much more manageable. God and guilt are like oil and water.

May we each travel light and realize deep in our bones, that the God that made us LOVES us just as we are...and so we are wise to do the same.