Assessing guilt.........

It's high time I did a guilt assessment in my life. I find every now and again, I need to tackle guilt that has crept in to my life and pin it down permanently. So, I recently decided to re-listen to one of Rob Rufus' classic sermons on being free from guilt. (Thank you Dan for transcribing it! I highly recommend reading this sermon if you have the time, it will empower you to fight for freedom from ANY guilt in your life.) One thing Rob pointed out in this message was how a lot of Christians feel guilty that Jesus died instead of them. Isn't that so true! But NO, Jesus, for the joy set before him endured the cross!! 

Lately, I have been tempted in many areas of my life to feel guilt. Oh I wish I had spent more time with my kids in this way or that way. I wish I had learned to be more independent in this way or that long ago, so I wouldn't be struggling now. I should have done this, I should have done that. "Shoulda, coulda, woulda" - that's what my dear friend Patty says. It's all guilt! Condemnation!! And we know that there is absolutely no possibility for condemnation now that we are in Christ. NONE, ZIP, ZILCH. When we allow guilt and condemnation to enter our hearts and minds, we are rearming a disarmed foe. BUT - just in case, you are tempted to feel guilty for allowing guilt and condemnation in - STOP yourself - there is no condemnation. 

There's a line from a movie I watched as a kid, called the Labyrinth, with David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly, that I think sums up our fight against the enemies guilt tactics. Basically, David Bowie plays the evil antagonistic master of the underground and Jennifer Connelly is simply trying to rescue her brother from his clutches. Jennifer is taken through the Labyrinth which she must solve in order to save her brother. So of course she goes through with the quest and is taken on a wild journey full of risk and adventure and much turmoil thrown her way by David Bowie's character.  What I remember most about the movie, is when Jennifer's character finally realized that this evil underworld master truly had no hold over her. She declares, "You have no power over me."  Suddenly, everything returns to normal as it should be, as if it was all just a bad dream. 

I love the picture this movie presents. It's so true if we simply stop and realize that our enemy indeed - HAS NO POWER OVER US.  If he does, it's because we have let him!! 

So today I felt the strong sense I was to bring to attention the truth of Romans 8, and thrust the light on for anyone who may be struggling with guilt - the silent but deadly killer. Let's grab guilt by the throat - so we can instead be clothed by our Father's glory coat!! (as Rob would say)