Marie888
- Thread starter
- #21
life is not an endless cycle of guilt and shame.
i've always thought that was silliness.
I think I understand what you are saying. Does that also mean perhaps you've had a background in some sort of church upbringing, perhaps a "works based" church, if it's ok to ask? (Like RCC, or something else?) Just wondering.
Being "rightly" convicted of our wrong doing may hurt our human pride; but that isn't a bad thing, it helps us grow. "Pruning" hurts. It's part of the trials in growing in in live and faith in God... and where humility comes in alot of times. We may take some falls because of our pride in even all areas of our lives, but we learn from them which is good. I think most people would agree that humility is a good thing.
The trouble (false guilt, false shame) can happen because there is an actual spiritual battle going on with Satan. I realize you do not believe this at all, nor can I make you believe, but just wanted to try to reply according to my understanding so far...
Alot of times what happens is a "false guilt" in which the enemy, Satan, likes to hold over people's heads. Things like, "I don't do enough "good works", "God would never accept me", or "God would never forgive me." Those things are a lie from the pit of hell. When someone truly starts seeking Jesus Christ, many times people are attacked somehow by the enemy. Our own thoughts get in the way like above, (instead of listening to the Lord first and Who HE says He is, not our own thinking) or perhaps tempations come our way, or, "worldly life" gets in the way. Satan wants to keep us from God, because after we know the truth, the truth sets us free. Once we know the truth of Jesus, who He is, we never go back. "It is finished", like Jesus said on the Cross. So Satan is attacking as much as he can in whatever way possible before that can happen.
Yes, the Lord wants us to repent, but it's not just for the sake of some "obligation". It's entirely and totally out of love, and it's for our own good and others good... so we don't hurt (or try not to hurt) ourselves or others, but rather learn to love Him, and love one another.
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