Tuesday 20 December 2011

Overcoming The Feeling of Guilt

There are many emotions that are extremely damaging to us humans. Hate, anger, and jealousy are a few examples, but guilt is one that is not discussed very often. Guilt is like a red Business Objects SABE301 exam flag; we feel it because something is obviously wrong and it needs to be fixed immediately. In order to overcome guilt, one must come face to face with the source. Unfortunately, few people will face their guilt head-on because the road to freedom from it may not be an easy one. Guilt is an extremely dangerous emotion that can drive a person to complete depression and unhappiness. I consider it a silent killer. It can eat away at a person for years if they allow it to build up in them for that long.
I particularly like Wikipedia's definition for guilt:
Guilt is the state of being responsible for the commission of an offense. It is also a cognitive or an emotional experience that occurs when a person realizes or believes-accurately or not-that he or she has violated a moral standard, and bears significant responsibility for that violation
A person could feel guilt for committing a wrongful act just like a person could feel guilt for thinking they committed a wrongful act, but in reality didn't. Whether or not any wrongful Business Objects SABE401 exam act was committed, the solution is still the same: forgiveness!
Don't think of guilt as simply another emotion. Think of it as a message your conscience is sending you. As long as you hold on to your guilt, you are emotionally imprisoned. In order to recover from the feeling of guilt, you need to set yourself free. Forgiveness is the key component in overcoming any guilt. You must learn to forgive yourself and ask for forgiveness if the guilt involves another party. The Bible shows that God will forgive our sins and wrongdoings if we ask for forgiveness. If the good Lord is willing to forgive you, you must forgive yourself as well. Feeling forgiven is very powerful; it lifts heavy loads off one's back.
The most important thing to do after forgiving yourself and overcoming your guilt is to stay away from whatever it was that made you feel guilty in the first place. When recovering from something difficult and painful, the last thing you want to do is to fall in the same trap again. In such a case you risk living into a dangerous cycle.
Guilt can be seen from a spiritual aspect as well. As a Christian, I've seen several of my fellow brothers and sisters in the church feel guilty over committing the same sin over and over and reaching a point where they are unable to forgive themselves. I always guide them to the scripture in 1 John 1:9 BH0-009 which says that God will forgive ALL sins if they are confessed to Him. Again, the key is forgiveness.
Don't carry around with guilt. Face it, forgive yourself, and begin living peacefully and free just like God intended.

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