How I Learned about God’s “Grace”

We all know the terrible feeling of having done something which we wish we hadn’t and afterwards being angry at ourselves. This is what happened to me yesterday. I had spoken some very thoughtless words on two different occasions.

Now I had told the two people I had offended that I was sorry, and had repented before the Lord, still I was upset with myself. Then I suddenly realized that this anger at myself was really guilt.

As I began to think about the issue of guilt, I began to see that I had dealt with only half of yesterday’s thoughtless words. Jesus died to remove sin AND guilt, so not only must I ask Him to forgive the sin, but I must also ask Him to forgive me for feeling so guilty. Remorse, yes, but not guilt!

King Solomon foretold how Jesus’ true church would see herself. When she says, “I am black, but lovely” she is not speaking about the color of her skin, but about her spiritual condition. You see, we Christians are black and sinful, yet because Jesus died to remove our sin and guilt, He sees us as lovely.

God’s “grace” makes it possible for us to return to the light of His presence when we fall into the darkness of sin and its ensuing guilt. I know because I experienced that grace yesterday.

© Doreen Palmer, 2003