Releasing the Pain

That Burden of Sin

creates guilt in your soul that can make daily life a burden that is difficult to bear. The emotions you feel when you feel guilty can be crippling. Deep feelings of regret, an overwhelming heaviness of soul, cry out for relief. Perhaps you hurt someone that resulted in jail time. Or maybe the consequences for your failure created distance from someone you loved. You turned away from God and lied, cheated, or gossiped. Perhaps you got drunk again after promising never to drink again. So, somehow in some way you inflicted pain upon others and now you are struggling with guilt. Can you bury the guilt with food or by blaming someone else? Why does relief continue to escape you?

When I did not confess my sins, I was worn out from crying all day long. Psalm32:3

The psalmist describes his pain as crying all day long. But, he also inserts the reason for his pain. He did not confess his sins.

The picture above illustrates how to release the pain. Jesus was perfect, the only one who was worthy to bear our sins on a cross of suffering. Our sins created separation from a holy God, our Creator. So, when we transgress His law we are guilty.

Jesus summed up the law

with 2 commands: Love the Lord God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Love your neighbor as yourself.

So, we take our sinful pain-filled heart and lay it at the foot of the cross as in the illustration; we confess to God we have sinned. We tell him about our shortcomings and ask for His forgiveness. Jesus shed His blood for the remission of our sins. He will forgive you. Your guilt will be washed away by the power of His blood. Determine to turn from sin and ask for God’s help. The burden of sin will be lifted.

Try to be at peace with everyone, and try to live a holy life, because no one will see the Lord without it. Hebrews 12:14