CONVERT YOUR GUILT
Luke 7:37-50

One of the many struggles that most of us experience is carrying the weight of our guilt.

Because no one is exempted, each one of us in one way or another had committed mistakes, bad choices, wrong decisions, and loss of self-control.

But the guilt in a positive way indicates that there is a voice inside of us screaming that we have not lived the best life we should live.

It’s a powerful voice reminding us that we missed meeting the standards that we ought to live and if we are aware of it, we open ourselves to a better version of ourselves.

We can only lift the weight of our guilt when we begin to own it.

We can only pass through the struggles of our guilt when we admit it.

We cannot impose our own prison and punishment for our mistakes.

We need help and let this article enlighten us as we learn from the experience of the woman in the story.

THE CRYING WOMAN

There was a woman in the city who was a sinner, a gate crasher in a Pharisee’s house who learned that Jesus was reclining at the table, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume.

And standing behind Him at His feet, weeping she began to wet His feet with her tears and keep wiping them with the hair of her head, kissing His feet and anointing them with perfume.

The Pharisee who invited Jesus felt annoyed and maybe uncomfortable and said something to himself raising the question if really this Jesus a prophet who allowed Himself to be touched by a sinner.

The woman’s action was beyond what the Pharisees can understand but for the sinner, it was her way of expressing her gratitude to the man who saved her life.

A BETTER VERSION OF OUR SELF

That is the reason, we cannot judge a person, a narrative story, or a situation unless we know the truth.

Guilt had moved this woman to do good gestures to Jesus others seem to think that she was crazy.

She transformed her guilt into a gesture of gratitude.

The woman might say to herself “I may have done what they say I did, but I am not what they say I am.”

Because there are times that we do something that does not reflect who we are.

Yes, I am ashamed because I should not be supposed to do what I ought not to do.

I am ashamed that I deviate from what is expected of me to act responsibly, act morally, and be accountable.

I admit I have missed the mark, but I must try again to do it better the next time around.

Our guilt should not pin us down to what others say, but a turning point to prove that there is a better version of me that I must unleash.

WHAT OTHERS MIGHT SAY ABOUT YOU

One of the consequences of our actions is what other people might say about us.

It is hard to defend ourselves when there is truth in what they say about ourselves.

“Mahirap ipagtanggol ang ating sarili kung may katotohanan sa kanilang sinasabi’

Sometimes it’s not what other tells about you but what yourself is telling yourself.

“Bakit ko nagawa ito? Hindi ko ginusto na mangyari ito!”

It’s harder when the screaming on the inside is louder than the murmuring from the outside.

It’s more difficult to defend ourselves when our inner conviction is stronger than what others are telling about us.

TOXIC FROM GUILT

This is more stressful, and it takes away the peace that we should have.

Guilt gives us more burden and we want to ease this burden.

What we usually do to alleviate this experience of guilt is change the plot of the story so that it becomes more acceptable.

We revise the narrative of our story by focusing on how they were made to commit that sins.

We try to focus the story not on ourselves but on others making us less guilty about what we did.

We ask and solicit sympathy from friends and kin to us who will tell you “No problem, it’s not your fault”

But unresolved guilt is toxic to our soul because we let it sink into us.

We live in a lie and untruthfulness and God will not favor any act out of truth.

A sin covered by another sin. We become a prisoner of sin and it holds us back to be free.

We cannot be delivered because we cannot admit the truth.

We can remove the toxic guilt when we admit we did it.

Living in a lie is not anesthesia to numb the pain of burden caused by guilt.

Because among all, it is you who knows the truth.

YOU CAN NOT HEAL IT WHEN YOU WON’T OWN IT

We cannot live ourselves in denial.

We can only alleviate the weight of guilt when we start to own it.

The only person who can fix it is yours.

God cannot help us unless we surrender and admit to ourselves that we are responsible and accountable.

We need to humble ourselves to be able to say “I am sorry!”

We need to be humble to ask forgiveness that we committed the sin.

We can only own it when we humble ourselves admitting that we became weak.

GUILT SHOULD CHANGE OUR CHARACTER

Guilt should change our behavior into a positive character is a powerful thing.

Otherwise, it will be the opposite. It will make us angry and depressed like Cain.

It is good to be guilty and be humble and pull down your pride and say I am sorry.

It is good to be guilty and look for those people whom you’ve sinned and look them in the eyes with sincerity asking for an apology.

The woman converted her guilt into a change of new character, into a new person others don’t expect.

She humbles herself and owns the weight of her guilt by living a renewed person away from where she used to be.

The prodigal son had experienced the same guilt and converted it so that he could become a new son again to a loving Father.

You can surrender and said to your partner or friend that you are tired of this situation fighting over and over again.

GUILT SHOULD BRING REPENTANCE

We cannot have a revival without repentance.

We don’t need a church of guilty people who never repentant of their sins.

We don’t need a church of people attending mass every Sunday, singing, and dancing, listening to the Word of God convicted but never repented.

Guilt shall bring us to repentance.

When the people of Nineveh heard the voice of God through the prophet Jonah, they felt the guilt and repented of their sins.

As long as the people will stick to their own version of their story and will say to themselves it is not me whom the priest or the preacher is referring to, no matter whose prophet will come there will be no healing and revival to happen.

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
-2 Chronicles 7:14

GUILT SHALL OPEN A WAY FOR FORGIVENESS

The woman is crying at the feet of Jesus because of her mixed feeling of guilt and gratitude.

Remember this woman who was caught in the act of adultery and was about to die in the hands of the crowds who were ready to stone her to death?

But Jesus forgives her for that moment.

Again, in this encounter at the Pharisee’s house, Jesus reassured her that her sins were forgiven.

Only if we stop making excuses and justifying what we have done, God can fix everything and remove the weights of guilt in us.

God can forgive our sins. Jesus had shed the blood for the forgiveness of our sin.

I can remove the stains of any guilt and sins if you humble yourselves.

CONVERT YOUR GUILT TO GRATITUDE

Instead of living in guilt, convert your guilt to gratitude.

Live our life away from guilt and live in gratitude.

Yes, I am not worthy to be free, but I am grateful Jesus died to set me free.

I am destined to hell because of my past but thanks to the grace of God.

I do not deserve anything of these because of what I have done but by grace, He continues to bless me.

I am grateful I live in the grace of God.

Every door that He opens is a grace of God.

To God be the glory.

Everything I have is a grace and this is a grateful attitude of the woman in front of Jesus washing His feet.

Guilt that can change is a good thing, but how about those that we cannot fix it anymore?

How about those things that cannot be undone anymore?

How about the child that I killed from my womb?

How about the sins that cannot be repaired anymore which I am part of?

God’s grace is sufficient for our needs.

We don’t need to live in guilt, we need to walk in the state of grace and let that new life we found in Jesus be seen in us.

Let the same grace we received be shared with others.

Remember the parable of two debtors, the more who owe and forgive have loved the lenders more.

Our guilt shall push us more to love our God more as He deserves more.

May your grace be full,

Mikesendon