Max Lucado, an American author once remarked: “Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off.” Romans 11:6 confirms: “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”
One of the pertinent definitions of grace which is available to all humans, at the pleasure of God, is the renewal of our mind and heart. It can include the values of decency, propriety, decorum and of honor. Guilt, in controversy, has been defined as feelings of deserving blame especially for imagined offences or from a sense of inadequacy.
“Grace not guilt” is the division of the two. Grace is known to be a free gift from God, but it has been inferred by some that God is surrounded in mystery. Who is this deity that can’t be seen? What is He? However, mystery may often be an invitation to excitement and new experience. It can include expectation. James 2:18-20 reminds us: ‘But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?” Some may try, but never openly understand the truth that these words imply. God is not really about mystery, God is about faith and trust. He may not be able to be seen by most in any substantial form, but if faith and trust preponderate His existence, then there is no material mystery to behold.
Pope Paul VI once remarked: “The Eucharistic mystery stands at the heart and center of the liturgy since it is the fount of life by which we are cleansed and strengthened to live not for ourselves but for God and to be united in love among ourselves.” Romans 8:10-16 reminds us: “But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”
This passage reveals that by the grace of God, the living Spirit dwells within us. The thought, by some, of a ubiquitous presence permanently within us may appear daunting or baffling, and we may not conceivably understand the reason why, but is actually ethereal to guide us in the ways of the Lord. It spiritually changes our lives to one of closeness with God. God has been said to work in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. Sometimes, our lives may change unexpectedly and we may not understand why we have been chosen for a particular task or purpose. We may have doubts, we may have suspicions, but faith and trust in God should reassure us that this is the intended path to follow. It may feel that one is walking blindly into the unknown, it may create elements of fear, but at the end of the tunnel, we can be reassured, that there will always be a light and a constant glow within that can’t possibly ever be imagined.
Conversely, a persistent feeling of guilt can provide the opposite and be detrimental to one’s self-worth and health. It provides barriers that are difficult to overcome. It lowers self-esteem and may well inflict an onslaught of anxiety. The problems of life may appear like mountains rather than mere molehills. Fear may become an overriding factor, to such an extent that we become frozen within ourselves and feel unable to move.
If we experience an element of fear in any particular journey, that may lead to a strong element of guilt. Guilt can almost certainly be related to the complexities of inadequacy. It can instigate a conflict within us which can create doubt in ability. It inflames a struggle that may be hard to fight. We must not lose faith in ourselves, or in God, but be assured that through His grace, we will have the necessary power to succeed and overcome any adversity. Acts 1:8 confirms: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Guilt and fear often go hand-in-hand. They can produce shame within. Together they provide uncertainty in our lives which can be damaging in any personal relationship, including one with God. Excessive guilt can actually lead people on the wrong path in life. This can rob them of the freedom to live life to the full. That in itself, could be regarded as a retrograde step that encourages a closure of openness, trust and frankness. If we do not seek the help and guidance of another, then the complexities of life may become prominent in our thoughts or actions. Retreat into one’s shell may appear to be the only option available.
People sometimes forget that with God’s grace, any problem can be surmounted. Matthew 18:15-18 confirms: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
The power of God can replace any guilt complex that we may be experiencing. We may feel that God’s forgiveness and grace can’t be sought through our own shame. However, His saving grace will strengthen our resolve and provide the necessary determination to continue until completion. Isaiah 40:1-2 reminds us: Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.” The divine influence of God’s grace working within us allows for purification and absolvement. Faith and trust in this special gift, unconditionally given should always remain prominent in our minds. We should never allow the possibility of guilt to replace it. Ephesians 2:8-9 confirms: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Amen.
