We’re going to be hearing the word “guilty” quite a bit in the coming weeks and months as the term is now embedded into the election cycle. Right behind the word, a flood of emotions will be present. On one side–sadness, anger, and resentment. On the other–happiness, joy, and celebration.
Either way, the word guilty will carry immense weight moving forward. It shouldn’t be that way.
Guilt–which tells us we did something wrong–is often closely tied with shame–which tells us we are wrong. Jesus came to heal both. To forgive us. To purify us. To set us free (1 John 1:9). So that we would not carry guilt and shame for ourselves…or for those around us.
As you encounter a desire to process guilt in the coming days and weeks, remember this: Jesus paid a high price so that your mistakes would not hang on your neck, weighing you down for the rest of your life. What a gift.
Now, pass that freedom on to someone else who’s guilty. You probably won’t have to look very far.