Discover Your True SelfSample

You Are Beautiful 

Shame and guilt go hand in hand, one feeding the other. They are partners of destruction, eroding our lives. And as we do with shame, most of us carry guilt around for years. We all struggle with it—no exceptions. How are you wrestling with guilt? I’d encourage you to whisper a prayer and ask God to give you the courage and strength to be honest with yourself and with Him. He wants to help you, and He can. Removing our guilt is at the heart of the gospel. 

We usually deal with guilt in unhealthy ways. We tend to do exactly as Adam and Eve did—we hide it. Then we deny it or excuse it. Then we blame other people. We all have a drug of choice to cover our guilt. Mine is work. I was told year after year that I was a workaholic, but I responded with denial, excuses, and continually shifting the blame. And I kept on working.

The good news is that God has a comprehensive solution for our guilt, and it’s extremely effective. But in order to take advantage of it, we have to be honest. Denying our symptoms, like I did for years with my workaholism, doesn’t lead us to His solution. We first have to identify the symptoms and behaviors; then we can explore the guilt that creates them. When we do, God begins a healing process that not only removes the symptoms but deals with the cause. Christ desires to replace our guilt with His peace.

In Ephesians 2:4-7, we hear Paul declare something so glorious—God, who is rich in mercy, loves us deeply and relentlessly and will not leave us in our sinful condition. When we were dead in our transgressions—in our hostile rebellion against Him—He made us alive with Christ. We were once in the kingdom of darkness, but now we are in the kingdom of light.

That’s why God sees us differently now. We are wanted, secure, valuable, competent, and, yes, even beautiful. For years, I promised Theresa that I wouldn’t work so many hours. None of those efforts were effective until I realized the why behind my behavior. I was carrying a load of guilt. Deep down I felt like I didn’t measure up. I was trying to earn God’s love and forgiveness and get people to like and admire me. It was when I answered the why question that change began to occur.

Why do you do what you do? Be honest. How well has your approach worked? Confess what is needed to start fresh with God.