Happy 2014!
Each year, as a Christmas gift, my husband gives me a devotional. It is comprised of a daily scripture reading and then a short devotional on how to apply it to our lives today.
The devotional for January 4th really spoke to me personally. It is entitled "You're Not Built for Guilt".
Guilt can be an overwhelming emotion, especially when you have a loved one suffering with an eating disorder. I hear it constantly, I feel so guilty . . ., I should have known . . ., I should have gotten help sooner . . . and on and on it goes. We really beat ourselves into the ground.
Truth is, we could not have seen this train named ED coming through the long, dark tunnel. How could we possibly prepare for what was ahead?
In this particular devotional, the author, Joyce Meyer, states:
"If we drag the guilt from past mistakes along with us, we'll never make progress toward true freedom and joy. Your future has no room for your past. How much time do you waste feeling guilty?"
Truth be told, I wasted a lot of time feeling guilty and it did prevent me from moving forward to the present. If we drag all that guilt baggage along with us, our progress forward will be greatly hampered. As she said above, our future has no room for our past. Let's let it go. Leave the past in the past and look ahead at what needs to be done. We cannot change what was, but we can change how we face the future. Guilt will slow us down, weigh us a down. What good can it possibly serve? Move on. Forgive yourself, as God forgives us. Start now - start today. One day at a time. Do not allow guilt to dwell in your heart.
