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 I admit there are many times when I wake in the middle of the night and the sheets are damp from a cold sweat because I have said something wrong during the day. This is false guilt, and while I worried during the night I feel guilty during the day. Do you find yourself waking during the night with a similar experience? I might add that these occurrences often happen during a hectic time and go away when I truly relax.
A wise friend of mine liked to repeat this aphorism: "Ninety five percent of the things that happen to us, never happen." What he meant was that we wrongly worry that something may come and ruin our day. Again, this is false guilt.
I hope I have learned something about eliminating false guilt in my 60 + years. One of them is to not worry what others think of me, and to think of others with utmost respect. The next is to get a good night's sleep. Another is to exercise the body 3-4 times a week. When I exercise, I find myself building energy and physical reserve for whatever the day holds. Even though St Paul said that bodily exercise does little for spiritual strength, I find myself praying while doing a mile on the treadmill. And I continue praying while on the Nordic Track.
While this regimen improves my life, I still have a big problem. I cannot shake foot-in-mouth disease, and shoe leather does not taste good. I really want to do the right thing, but often end up misspeaking.
I am reading slowly through the book of Romans in the New Testament and am impressed with a principle that would help us get off this false guilt train wreck. Although we have a sinful nature, we know from the 8th chapter of Romans that when we leave our faults at the back door and come knocking at God's front door we are never treated in a condemning manner. The trouble with false guilt is that we feel guilty, but Jesus is looking directly in our eyes with love, and all I can do is accept his love and leap with joy that I found vitality of life. So friends, let's just come through the front door and hear Jesus say 'Not Guilty.'
A friend of Jesus,
Gary Kallio
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