Did you know that there is a type of guilt that can push you away from God and a type of guilt that can draw you to him? 

Our guilt draws us to God when we have a healthy understanding of his mercy and forgiveness. Guilt can awaken us to what’s wrong in our lives, redirecting us back to God and what’s best for us. But there is an unhealthy kind of guilt that can lead us away from God.

The Guilt That Leads Away From God

Henri Nouwen speaks about this kind of guilt, saying…

There is an awareness of sin that does not lead to God but rather to self-preoccupation. Our temptation is to be so impressed by our sins and failings and so overwhelmed by our lack of generosity that we get stuck in a paralyzing guilt. It is the guilt that says: "I am too sinful to deserve God's mercy." It is the guilt that leads to introspection instead of directing our eyes to God. It is the guilt that has become an idol and therefore a form of pride.

When Guilt Becomes An Idol

Nouwen makes an interesting claim that our guilt can actually become an idol where we exalt it above God himself. That is, we are more impressed by our sin than we are by God’s mercy. We are more willing to listen to the accusations of our worthlessness over the words of God’s forgiveness. We live out of this negative perspective and serve this “god” rather than receive the new life that God has for us.

Contrasting the Guilt of Peter and Judas

Nouwen continues…

...The question is: "Are we like Judas, who was so overcome by his sin that he could not believe in God's mercy any longer and hanged himself, or are we like Peter who returned to his Lord with repentance and cried bitterly for his sins?"  Show Me The Way

The Peter/Judas contrast is striking to me. Peter was able to harness the transforming power of God’s love and, as a result, went on to lead the church. He understood the full impact of what it means to be forgiven and restored by God. It changed his life and his story was used by God to draw many others to Him.

On the other hand, Judas allowed his sin and guilt to crush him, leading him to take his own life. What a waste of potential.

How Do you Deal With Your Guilt?

So, let me ask you: How do you handle your guilt? Does your guilt lead you to God and his forgiveness or does it drive a wedge between you and God? Do you let God cleanse you and give you a fresh start or do you live under the weight of your failures?

May you, like Peter, find God's life changing mercy and forgiveness and live out of the new life and freedom that God’s forgiveness offers you. 

Prayer: Father, please show me my sin in the light of your mercy. Might I welcome your forgiveness and experience your strength to begin again.

Note: This post is an updated and expanded version of a post from 2012.