Christian Living

The Guilt Monger's Magnet

by Terry Barlow
09/29/15
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Let's face it, the human mind in its unrenewed state, when it has not been subject to the Word of God through the power of God  the Holy Spirit (see Romans 12 v.1-2), is often little more than a magnet for guilt.  It is as if it wakes each day with the following challenge: "let's see, what can I find to feel guilty about today, I think I'll dig around over in this area for a while."  Whatever decisions and  actions that then follow upon that morbid line of thought in order to assuage the guilt are not Holy Spirit led decisions and actions, though they be decided and enacted by a believer, because guilt by itself as a motivation cannot produce such spiritual fruit.

Guilt drives decisions and actions like a death-dealing dictator.  The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, leads out of  a live-giving relationship.  Guilt often fails the test of time, falling by the wayside if it doesn't immediately gets its way, whereas the promptings of the Holy Spirit are more persistent over time.