No joy, no assurance, unworthy, just feeling guilty? Things look easier than they really are. Do you struggle with instant gratification or feeling entitled? You can’t change your outside, behavior or lifestyle, until you change the inside. You cannot always change the inside without help. God, knowing that, offered His Spirit to assist in that change. Are you willing to allow Him to do so?

John 10:10 tells us, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” KJV

Are we enjoying life like Christ intended? As Christians shouldn’t we be living an extra-ordinary life style? God created an ugly old worm, called a caterpillar that crawls along the ground with all kinds of obstacles blocking its way. After a time, this worm is instantaneously transformed into an insect called a butterfly, which is one of the most graceful and beautiful of all insects. What kind of life are we living, like the caterpillar or the butterfly? As a result of sin and our self-centered nature, we were born ‘caterpillar-like’. But Christ came to offer us a ‘butterfly-like’ life. If God can transform a caterpillar into a butterfly, can’t He transform a sinner into one of His children? The Bible says God will bring our life into a new dimension, as a forgiven person with a changed nature that can rid one’s self of guilt.

(“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!” II Corinthians 5:17). As a caterpillar, I face death. As a butterfly, the Spirit has set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2)

Most normal people have to deal with guilt in their lives. Guilt is an emotion and can be one of the most damaging emotions we can have. The greater our guilt the more harmful it can be to our health, relationships with others and our daily performance. Guilt can impair any positive thoughts and develop in one’s self, a very low self-esteem.

Guilt does not necessarily result from something bad we have done, but it can. It may be from failing to meet expectations we or others have placed on us. It may be a result of a poor family relationship or a misunderstanding in which we blame ourselves. Blaming ourselves takes on guilt. Guilt, not controlled, can develop into the belief that we do not deserve the better things in life and that may result in establishing a low self-esteem into the future.

A person, regardless of their age, can carry the baggage of guilt and low self-esteem as they approach school, a job or a relationship with another believing they are not good enough to do well or excel. They may face life’s challenges with a low feeling of self-worth and a lack of confidence. A person believing they have no right to be successful can develop a self-fulfilling prophecy and never meet the potential that God created in them.

Once we understand that guilt can affect our attitudes, our thoughts and even cause a negative mind-set or bad behavior we must recognize it must be controlled. Many youngsters today come from dysfunctional families and end up in prison.

What is one to do to eliminate guilt? If you were to ask Dear Abby she would tell you to get a good psychologist. The one who knows you best and can provide the best advice is God. How badly do you want to improve?

Ephesians 4:22 & 24 – “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”

God knows how important it is to overcome guilt in a person’s life. God, through Jesus Christ, made it possible that all past sins and guilt can be forgiven. Any person who accepts Christ as their Savior and accepts the promises of God can become a new person as Scripture states. One, speaking from experience, a person can become a new person and the old can be erased. It may not happen overnight but it occurs as soon as a person understands that God’s Spirit comes to live within them and through a process, continually changes them if they will allow Him to do so.

The Holy Spirit and Scripture teach us that God loves us, will guide us and give us a new mind-set that allows us to deal with guilt and low self-esteem. As a believer and child of God who realize we were created to be Christ-like in true righteousness and holiness, we should develop a positive pride, confidence in ourselves and a great self-image. It may not be easy to accept this concept because Satan uses guilt to stifle us from reaching our full-potential. Therefore, we must be careful to whom we listen. If you keep thinking you cannot be changed to what God meant you to be, you are listening to the wrong voice. Much of it boils down to how much faith do you have? Do you believe God created you or anyone else to be a failure rather than to be successful and prosper? But that is not the devil’s plan. It is to deceive us, degrade us, distress us and destroy us. He would like nothing better than to defeat you through guilt and past sins. You have a choice as to who you listen and who you want to be.

If you have been reading my blogs you will know that I believe everything starts with realizing that God loves us unconditionally. Study the Book of Hosea in the Old Testament. No matter how bad Hosea’s wife, Gomer was God still loved her. The Book was written to let us know, regardless of our past, God still loves us and He will remove all guilt if we understand the nature and character of God.