Beyond Guilt: God's Truth Trumps Feelings

When we honestly face our brokenness and sin, the apostle John said confidently, forgiveness is always there (cf. 1 John 1:5-2:2). John urged his readers to let God’s grace give them the courage to assess themselves as honestly as possible: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves.” But fear or stubborn pride can lead us to deny that we deserve mercy. For those times, it is vital that we are not only willing to forgive other people but often need to be willing to forgive ourselves.

• Every pastor and counselor (and many of us just as friends) have heard someone say something like, “I can never forgive myself for _________.” John echoed his master Jesus in teaching that God is willing to forgive anything we’re willing to confess. If our hearts condemn us, he said in today’s passage, we must trust God rather than our feelings. Think about it: do you really have higher moral standards than God? Where do you need to trust in God’s forgiveness today?
• In 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 the apostle Paul distinguished “godly sadness” from “sorrow under the influence of the world.” “Godly sadness,” he said, produces a changed heart and life; the world’s sorrow leads to death by telling us what we did wrong is unforgivable. Christian counselor Bruce Narramore said Jesus’ gift of forgiveness is life-giving, but worldly sorrow (“guilt feelings”) leads to deadly self-punishment. * Why is it vital to trust Jesus’ promise more than your guilty feelings?