When You Can’t Get Over the Guilt
I can remember my heart racing as Katherine and I walked home from
school, ignoring the taunts behind us. Fortunately, the bullies peeled away. As
a bashful first-grade student, I grew used to older kids with an attitude. I
never expected Katherine to turn on me, though. You see, she’d discovered that
her skin tone was a different color than mine.
When I could tolerate her gibes no longer, I struck her. I didn’t aim
but managed to punch her in the mouth. I don’t know which of us was more
surprised. Katherine must have felt that a mouse had roared.
Katherine backed down, to my amazement, and went home crying. I watched
her out of sight with my stomach turning. How easy it had been to make her
bleed. I apologized immediately. Stricken to the heart by the suffering I had
caused my friend, I vowed never to use my fists in anger again. To this day,
I’ve kept that promise.
That was the last time I ever saw Katherine. She had told me they were
moving, but I hadn’t realized how soon they would leave. I had apologized
immediately after hitting her, but my guilt followed me for a long time. I
would later learn that when you harm someone else, you must ask forgiveness of
two people—the other person and yourself.
Sometimes we confess our sins to God but hold them against ourselves.
But holding ourselves to account for a sin God wiped clean, places us in God’s
judgment seat when we don’t have the credentials for that position. Who are we
to condemn ourselves when God does not? When we confess our sins, God is
faithful to forgive us for them and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Letting
go of guilt can be hard, but it helps to remember that Jesus proclaimed on the
cross, “It is finished.”
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What are the benefits of accepting God's forgiveness?
Romantic Times: "Janalyn Voigt is a talented writer and brings to life the long-ago wild west with vivid descriptions of the landscape."
Young Irish widow Bry Brennan doesn’t want another husband to break her spirit. She ignores her fascination with Nick Laramie, her wagon train's handsome trail guide. Nick lives in an uneasy truce between the settlers and his mother’s tribe without fully fitting in among either. With no intention of dragging a woman into his troubles, he stifles his yearning for Bry.
The perilous journey throws the two together, leaving Bry no choice but to trust Nick with her life. Can she also trust him with her heart?
Young Irish widow Bry Brennan doesn’t want another husband to break her spirit. She ignores her fascination with Nick Laramie, her wagon train's handsome trail guide. Nick lives in an uneasy truce between the settlers and his mother’s tribe without fully fitting in among either. With no intention of dragging a woman into his troubles, he stifles his yearning for Bry.
The perilous journey throws the two together, leaving Bry no choice but to trust Nick with her life. Can she also trust him with her heart?
Hills of Nevermore (Montana
Gold 1)
America Liberty Reed is a young widow who can’t believe God will
forgive her secret sins. In fact, shePurchase
Hills of Nevermore
thinks He’s out to punish her. America
hopes to redeem herself by creating a good life for her infant daughter. Enter
Shane Hayes, a blue-eyed circuit preacher who makes it his mission to keep America
safe at a time when the West was wildest. Shane’s refusal to use violence to
protect himself or anyone else creates problems for him. Both must learn what
it means to fully trust God.
About Janalyn Voigt
Janalyn's father
instilled a love of literature in her at an early age by reading chapters from
classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, and he stopped reading to
her, she put herself to sleep with tales "written" in her head.
Today Janalyn is a
storyteller who writes in multiple genres. The same elements--romance, mystery,
adventure, history, and whimsy--appear in all her novels in proportions
dictated by their genre.
Visit Janalyn Voigt
Online:
Website: http://janalynvoigt.com
Website for authors: http://livewritebreathe.com
Sign up for Janalyn’s
mailing list: http://janalynvoigt.com/join-e-letter
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Janalyn-Voigt/e/B008CEX4P4
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/JanalynVoigt
Goodreads Author Page: http://janalynvoigt.com/goodreads
Bookbub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/janalyn-voigt
The benefits of accepting God's forgiveness is peace of mind and the ability to forgive yourself. Thanks for the giveaway and good luck everyone.
ReplyDeleteprincessdebbie1_2000(at)yahoo(dot)com
Good thoughts, Debbie. There are people in this world who have everything they could desire but peace of mind. It is a treasure.
DeleteAccepting God's forgiveness frees you of guilt and allows you to open your heart to love. mauback55 at gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteSo true, Melanie. A heart open to love makes a person beautiful.
DeleteThe benefits of accepting God’s forgiveness are freedom and peace of mind. It gives you the ability to put the past behind you and look forward to the plan God has for your life.
ReplyDeleteleliamae54(at)aol(dot)com
I agree, Lucy. Trying to live without accepting God's forgiveness is like watering the garden with a tangled hose. The harder you pull, the more it kinks until the water shuts off entirely. You really can't go forward with God's plan for your life until you let him free you from the past.
DeleteEternal life, peace, never being alone........the list goes on and on! jarning67(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful list it is, too! Thanks, Joan, for the reminders.
DeleteThe ability to forgive yourself and a relief of a big burden. lacy1942(at)Gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteYou're right, Ann. We can't forgive ourselves without God's help. Ah, but when we can, the weight leaves our shoulders. These are my favorite spoken by Jesus: "Come to me, all you who labor and are heavily burdened, and I will give you rest."
DeleteThanks for hosting me, Debbie Lynne, and giving me the chance to talk with your readers.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post Janalyn. I agree with you....we all too often hold unforgiveness toward ourselves and the guilt can eat us alive. Thanks for the reminder. Good luck and God's blessings PamT
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Pam. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Best wishes. Janalyn
DeleteWhen you accept God's forgiveness it cleanses us from the guilt. I have in the past still hung onto the guilt even though I knew God had forgiven me. For me, forgiving myself was the hardest thing to do.
ReplyDeleteThat's true for many of us and why I wrote the story in Hills of Nevermore. When we hold onto the guilt, it becomes harder to believe in God's mercy.
DeleteTimely. I just (two days ago?) posted about this, how "if we *confess* our sins He is faithful and just," not "if we do penance." There's nothing we can add to what He's already done; it was finished because it was a perfect work. I love God's amazing Grace!!!
ReplyDeleteWell-stated, Beverly.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen I became a believer in my mid-twenties, I clung to Psalm 103:12 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." I wanted to put as much distance between the old me and the new me as possible. I longed for a fresh start—to be made new. When we are truly broken over our sins, nothing can soothe the soul-deep ache or remove our shame except His mercy and grace.
ReplyDeletegeaneymail(at)gmaildotcom
"A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Psalm 51:17; WEB).
Deletethese books look so interesting. the benefits of accepting God's forgiveness? first is being saved and living eternally with Him. We than have the Holy Spirit to guide us. We have a protector, healer, Father, etc. We have peace in a world where peace is not there. I could go on but you get the general idea. Right now our small group is studying about the Holy Spirit and wow some really eye opener topics. The study is: "Forgotten God" by Francis Chan. There is a video as part of the study also. Really good.
ReplyDeletequilting dash lady at Comcast dot net
So true, Lori. The Holy Spirit is our Comforter.
DeleteYour idea of asking forgiveness of two people will stick with me. So well put!
ReplyDeleteThanks Emily. I found this revelation freeing in my own life.
DeleteForgiveness frees the heart. An unforgiving heart hurts self much more than the one who did the wrong. Self-examination is humbling as soon as we recognize what Jesus forgave.
ReplyDeleteloree(dot)peery(at)outlook(dot)com
Bitterness has unforgiveness, like a poisoned stream, at its root. It's far better to let go of all unforgiveness, including that directed at yourself.
ReplyDeleteAccepting God's forgiveness brings peace, renewed hope and a life free of carry a burden of unforgiveness or bitterness. Thank you for the giveway, Janalyn.
ReplyDeletemarilynridgway78[at]gmail[dot]com
I LOVE wagon train romances. I look forward to reading this one!
ReplyDeleteThe winner is Sheila Mast!
ReplyDelete