ARE YOU FEELING SEPARATED FROM THE LORD?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Psalm 51:2)

MEDITATION:
It’s true, isn’t it? As believers, when we sin, we feel overwhelmed with guilt.
So, the question we might ask is,
    “Is guilt a good thing or a bad thing?”
Most of us would probably agree that it is a good thing, right? Why would
we consider it a good thing? Because it means that we love the Lord more
than what we did. Consequently, we will go to Him and confess our sins,
admit we are sorry for our failures and ask for His forgiveness.

Another reason guilt is good for us is – it helps us to keep from getting hurt.
It’s similar to experiencing physical pain. Both pain and guilt are reminders
of the consequences of doing the wrong things. One causes physical pain that
we can treat in various ways, but the other causes emotional and spiritual
pain, which can be more difficult to treat and recover from.

‘Guilt’ is a word that is frequently used by psychoanalysts, psychiatrists,
and ministers. The dictionary defines guilt as,
    “the act or state of having done a wrong or committed an offense”.

There are many symptoms of spiritual guilt, but there is one root cause.
We have broken the moral law of the universe, as expressed in the Ten
Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount. Anytime we violate
what God has ordained for mankind, we are going to feel guilty when
we are members of His family.

When we don’t belong to God, even if we feel some level of guilt for our
actions, we are seldom deterred from repeating them. Why? Because we
can figure out ways to justify our actions, and we don’t feel accountability
to anyone but ourselves.

Guilt can trigger a variety of psychological problems such as insecurity,
tension, hunger for approval, struggles for recognition, etc. If we reverse
the last statement, then if someone is insecure, has an inordinate amount
of tension, strives for approval from others, or has a strong desire for
recognition, then he or she might be experiencing an all-consuming guilt
in their life.

ACTION:
Questions we could consider:
    – Has guilt caused me to feel separated from the Lord?
    – Has guilt caused me to experience some psychological problems?
    – Do I feel worthless unless I receive approval from others?
    – Do I constantly strive to get recognition
       for things I have done, or just for who I am?
    – Have I been guilty of often telling others about what I have
       done so they will be impressed and give me words of encouragement?
    – If I am honest with myself, would I say that I have feelings of guilt?
    – If any of this describes me, would I like to find relief?

Doctors can mend many physical and some psychological problems,
but only the Lord can mend the guilt that separates us from having
fellowship with Him. He is the Healer that reads our heart and soul
and knows exactly what we need to heal from our sinful mistakes.
He is also the One who can help us cope with the challenges we have
in our lives.

When some things seem hopeless, He can fan the flames that keep hope
alive. When we feel we have been broken and beaten down, He is the
One who can pick us up, brush the dirtiness away, hold us in His hands,
forgive us, and help us to keep moving forward down the path of life He
prepared for us before we were born. He holds His arms wide open as
He waits for us to run to Him.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I realize that all my sins are ultimately committed
against You. I come to You confessing my sins and asking You to forgive
me and restore our relationship. Help me to honestly confess my sins
specifically, and not just sum them up in one word called ‘sins’. I don’t
want to disappoint You by the commission of sinful deeds, so I need
Your help in resisting the temptations that cross my path. There are
temptations to do the wrong things, but there are also temptations
to avoid obedience to Your commands (things like worshipping You,
following the examples of Jesus, loving others, tithing, etc.). Help me
to be humble and not arrogantly choosing for myself which of Your
commands I will obey and justifying my failure to obey some of the
ones that are hard, or don’t fit my lifestyle. Thank You in advance
for Your help in showing me how to avoid feelings of guilt that
damage my relationship with You.”

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