Weight Training

by Caryl Havasy

“…let us lay aside every weight…that so easily entangles us…” ~ Hebrews 12:1


Every day my purse becomes heavier. I never realized how much I could cram into one little bag! There are so many things that are essential – my wallet, my keys, hand sanitizer, lipstick, checkbook and calendar. Yet there are so many things that are just dead weight – the Matchbox cars, used tissues, chewed gum in the wrapper and the rock my little boy couldn’t leave the playground without. If I didn’t examine the contents of my purse and empty these unessential items every day, I would very soon have a horrible backache from all the weight.

Yet, as a woman, there is another weight that I have often carried around spiritually – one that left unchecked has produced tremendous heartache and destruction in my life. That weight is guilt. Guilt attacks me every time I fall short as a wife, mother, friend or witness for Christ. I hear the words: “You’ll never get it right!” “How could God use you after what you’ve done?” “There is something wrong with you; you just don’t have it together like so-and-so!” So I accept my guilt as from God because I failed. And in view of that guilt, I just either try harder to keep from failing again, or I stop trying so there is no chance I will fail again. Either way, guilt pulls on me like a weight, producing a life of regret which devours my joy and destroys my hope!

My dear sister, do you also carry this weight of guilt? Do you want to be set free from this hopeless weight? Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). The truth is that guilt is not God’s work in your life. Do we still sin and fall short of His glory? Yes! As His children, will He let us continue in our sin? Absolutely not! But God does not use guilt. God uses the conviction of the Holy Spirit.

So how can we know the difference?

In 2 Corinthians 7:10, God reveals the difference between guilt and conviction: “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God (conviction) produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world (guilt) produces death.”

According to God’s Word, the difference between conviction and guilt can only be seen in the outworking or result. God’s conviction of sin and righteousness and judgment in our lives (John 16:8) produces the hope of change through repentance – our sanctification, which then produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11) and the restored joy of our salvation (Psalm 51:12). There is no regret!

Guilt produces death, hopelessness and regret, and it is from our enemy, the devil. He has come to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10a) – and guilt is his tool! BUT Jesus has come that we may have life and have life more abundantly (John 10:10b). In Jesus, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1) because He has already carried our weight of sin, guilt and sorrows to Calvary (Isaiah 53:4-6).

Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Would you be free of guilt and condemnation? Then come … come to Jesus. He will carry your burden. He will give you rest!