Guilt is an awful thing, and I believe it is synonymous with fear. When we feel guilty about something we’ve said or done, it’s usually because we fear the consequences.
A man once told me his wife made him feel guilty. I spoke off the cuff (imagine that) and told him, “Your wife can’t make you feel guilty, you have to choose to feel guilty.”
I was in my late twenties when I made that statement, and it probably had more of an impact on me than it did on him. I’ve pondered the idea considerably over the years, and I’ve come to the conclusion it’s true of almost every emotion. Guilt, anger, sadness, happiness; they all come knocking at our door, and we decide whether to invite them in or bid them be on their way. We choose to have the feelings we have, and yes, we will feel every kind of emotion, but it’s up to us how long we allow them to stay.
Let the good ones stay—in fact, invite them in; choose to be happy, choose faith, not fear. And when the bad thoughts come knocking, send them on their way.
For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5
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