As you know, I coach and counsel many Christian Women. Outside of that, I speak to women who know I counsel and they share their stories with me. There is a major theme that I find that weave through their lives. The theme is embedded in their past. Because of what they’ve experienced, they find it hard to let go of guilt and unforgiveness of self. They’ve confessed their sins long ago and prayed to God for forgiveness. They even believe that God has forgiven them yet they still carry the guilt and struggle to forgive themselves. I knew there was some strange phenomenon behind this. The more and more I spoke to women, the Lord revealed to me how it works:
"Guilt and unforgiveness becomes an umbrella and a crutch. It feels safer in the grand scale of things. If you’re guilty, you won’t be required or expected to do more. If you live in failure, God won’t expect better from you. You don’t believe you can ever do better anyway so why try? It gives you a sense of Martyrdom, making you feel special like constant punishment is a reward.
At the same time, you are playing god over God. You create a requirement of your own making of how to be perfect in God. This is a form of silent arrogance. It doesn’t look like arrogance. It may even look saintly, modest, and pious. You get to walk around with the cross constantly without ever resurrecting to Victory while ironically you look perfect in your imperfection."
I have a secret for you. You will never be perfect. NEVER! No matter how hard you try, in your human frame, it can’t happen. Your human man doesn’t even know what God’s perfection really is. You are so broken and frail that God had to send someone who’s perfect flesh would be a substitute for your own flesh. He had to send someone so clean that would cover all your sins; misgivings, bad behavior, foul mouth, evil thoughts, and unhinged emotions. He sent a man that would make His light, His love, and His right standing in God, your light, your love, and your right standing in God. It is only because of Jesus that God sees perfection in you. It is because of this perfect Godly plan that you do better, live better, and are a better person out of your gratefulness of what God has done just for you.
Your own sense of perfection doesn’t matter. Holding onto your past, guilt, and unforgiveness can be your own way of expressing fear of moving forward or lack of information on how to. It can be your fear of being accountable for your future and what exactly that future is. Whatever the reason, living this way, is a lie. You’ve partnered with the enemy to limit your future and to limit your faith in God. Therefore, you may be aborting your purpose and those who would benefit from it.
The Lord says that you can’t have His Power while in guilt, shame, and unforgiveness of self. The enemy has tricked you into focusing so much on this that he knows you willingly shackle yourself. It is until you experience true freedom in Christ that Faith and Power will come.
The Lord says, “do not be deceived. Wake up my children. For my people sleep too much. They fight while lying down. For they are worn out from the troubles and fight of life. But the day is dawned when my a new rest will waken an army, where freedom is worn with the Robe of my Son. Put on the armor of God and the robe of righteousness! My Word is the only ‘word’. You are forgiven. The past is death. I am a God of life. Put on your future. Walk in the light and love of my Son. Gather from the world. Move in the gift of Life and use My Power!”
Your Past is not bigger than Jesus! Your guilt, shame, and unforgiveness bows at His name!