Guilt and Sorrow

Have you ever felt guilty for doing something? Well, you shouldn’t. Not if you belong to Jesus. Maybe I’m getting caught up in semantics here, but it seems to me that guilt is an un-Christian response to our sin. When Jesus died on the cross, He fully satisfied the punishment for our sin. He took our guilt upon Himself. In God’s eyes, we are no longer guilty. And so feeling guilty about our sin is an incorrect emotional response. Guilt may drive us to God in the first place, but it has no business in our lives after that.

A much better emotion is sorrow. Sorrow comes from the awareness that we sin against the God who sent His Son to die for us. Sorrow occurs when we realize that we have wronged a God who loves us more than we can imagine. But even sorrow is no place to get stuck. In 2 Corinthians 7:10, Paul writes, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.” Our sorrow should be a productive force in our lives, moving us toward God’s grace and transforming power. It should never get stuck in regret. As you reflect on your sin and need for Jesus this Lent, I wish you godly sorrow. I wish you sorrow that brings repentance and helps you experience God’s grace and transformation more fully.

*Speaking of Confession, click here for our Lent Practice guide.