When the Guilt Strikes…


I was on the phone with Dennis last night, and I heard myself once again uttering the words that I find myself saying every so often…“I feel so guilty.” 

“I feel so guilty because I haven’t been able to plan for this week’s homeschool yet.”

“I feel so guilty because I slept for a whole eight hours!”

“I feel so guilty because I spent two hours catching up with my friend.”

“I feel so guilty because I ate too much!” (So, imagine— I eat too much around….five to six times a day.)

“I feel so guilty because I might not be teaching them enough.”

Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.

For the most part, I know I shouldn’t feel bad about these things, but somehow guilt manages to creep in and make me feel like there’s something else I could have– and should have done.

(Side note: I finally figured out when I am susceptible to these feelings! It’s usually around “that time of the month.” Any other time, I am quite rational and stable. Promise!!!)

Back to my conversation with Dennis. All he said in response was, “Diba pinako na si Jesus sa cross?? Ba’t ka pa nagui-guilty??”

Of course, he meant this as a joke— but one that’s actually true. I ended up laughing, but this also got me thinking… Am I forgetting that God’s grace extends even to this area of my life? Am I somehow limiting God’s grace? I trust him to save me and forgive me from my sinful nature, yet I can’t trust that He allows everything that happens, and that He is able to use even my mistakes to bring about His purposes?

Seriously, the beauty of the cross is that we really have been set free from ALL guilt and shame– whether it be in trivial matters, or in matters of life and death. We have been set free from it ALL.

I know there might still be times when I’d feel guilty again. And if you’re normal like me, you’d probably go through these moments, too.

“I feel so guilty because __________.” 

“I should’ve ___________ instead of _________.”

I’m pretty sure you can easily fill in the blanks.

When you go through these moments, my question will be, “Hindi ba, napako na si Jesus sa cross?”

He is too good, too wise, and too powerful to be limited by our human limitations and mistakes. He is too good, too wise, and too powerful to be limited by how well we perform.

And to this I respond with a big “WHEW!” 🙂