“Jesus never used guilt as a motivator. Guilt is so limited in its ability to effect change.”

A thought by Darren Whitehead and Jon Tyson, (2011-07-19) in their book, Rumors of God: Experience the Kind of Faith You´ve Only Heard About (Kindle Location 691). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

Guilt is so easy to use isn’t it? I remember when my dad would put his face in his hands and say about me, “Where did I go wrong?” That would really get to me because my dad was my hero. It would really make me feel bad about my behavior but I’m not sure if it really helped me to change it. Now the fear of disappointing him because of my deep love for him was what would get me to change, not the guilt of what I had done.

I know as a young minister I would be tempted to use the old guilt method of leadership and of preaching but I did everything I could to not use it. Guilt may bring initial change but forgiveness had a more far reaching impact on bringing about change. To show people how to take care of their guilt and how much God loved and the hope He gave was way more effective than making them feel guilty. That is what the good news of Christ is all about.

I’ve felt too many people were saved from a guilt bondage into a guilt bondage. But that isn’t what being a Christ follower is all about. It is being free from guilt. That is what forgiveness and hope is all about.

Now here is the key. If you are feeling guilt and you have asked for Christ to forgive you and you still feel guilty then you have a false guilt. You see true guilt comes from your sin and when Christ forgives you of your sin then your guilt is gone. If you’ve asked, then He’s forgiven. So that guilt is a false guilt that comes from yourself or some other unrealistic expectations.

Understand that God doesn’t use guilt to effect change but He uses love, forgiveness, hope and yes, as a last resort, pain. Maybe that would be more effective for you in striving to bring about effecting long lasting change to those around you – love, forgiveness, hope and as a last resort, pain.

Why don’t you start today?

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