In Christian Life Development here at PRBI, we had one class where we did something called “The Guilt Test”. By the end of the class I was really excited because God had shown me something new that I had never realized before. So I’d like to share “The Guilt Test” with you. It comes from http://www.new-life.net as I later discovered from my CLD teacher. So without delaying it any longer let’s do it! Get out a piece of paper and number it 1 to 24. Below there are twenty four statements. It’s not uncommon for you to be able to identify with a lot of these statements. As you read through the list, put a check on you page beside the ones that you can identify with or have felt before after you’ve done something wrong. For now just ignore the letters beside them.
1. "I don't see how God could do anything with someone like me." (W)
2. "Now I'm going to get it." (P)
3. " I feel I am stained and everyone can see it." (R)
4. "I feel the need to justify my position, to rationalize my wrong away, I feel defensive." (P)
5. "I feel like there is a sword hanging over my head about to fall at any minute." (P)
6. "I feel like withdrawing and hiding because of what I've done." (R)
7. "I feel like God is pointing his finger at me and saying you are unacceptable." (W)
8. "I feel like God is looking down on me with anger and bitterness." (P)
9. "I feel when I pray, that God won't listen to me because I have not listened and obeyed Him." (R)
10. "I resent myself because I have let God down." (W)
11. "I deserve to be punished because of what I have done." (P)
12. "I hurt all over because I am bad." (W)
13. "I let God down and now He will leave me here to suffer my fate." (R)
14. "I feel the Lord is mad at me and will keep me in a childhood state." (P)
15. "How can God ever love a screw-up like me?" (W)
16. "I have not lived up to expectations. I feel as though I will be rejected and abandoned." (R)
17. "I can just imagine God's angry stare." (P)
18. "Mainly I feel completely embarrassed about myself." (R)
19. "I feel I have completely flopped in my relationship to Christ." (W)
20. "I feel like dirt." (W)
21. "I wonder a lot about what others would think if they knew." (R)
22. "I have let God see me weak, I have failed, I am inferior." (W)
23. "I'm afraid of what others will do to me, because of what I have done." (P)
24. "I feel like a step-child in God's family or even an exile." (R)
Okay now that you are finished the test, and you have check marks on your page beside the numbers, look at the letter in brackets beside each number and write it down beside the ones that you checked. For example, if you put a check beside #20, then write a “W” beside it. Once you have finished putting letters beside all your check marks, mark down the total number of “W”, “P”, and “R” that you have. There are eight of each.
The letters represent the various ways that we experience guilt. We experience guilt in three ways:
1. A Sense of WORTHLESSNESS
"I'm a failure"
I'm not "competent", "suitable", "fit" or "capable."
"How can I call myself a Christian?"
2. A Fear of PUNISHMENT
"Now I'm going to get it."
"I deserve to be..."
"God will surely punish me."
"Now they will be angry with me for..."
3. A Feeling of REJECTION
Fear of rejection by others
"God won't love me if..."
Not being accepted because of what I did or what I think or who I am.
Loss of reputation, "losing face" before others, shame.
By looking at the individual numbers that you recorded under Ws, Ps, and Rs, you can tell in what area you feel the most guilt. Interestingly enough, all 24 statements above are statements that we never need to think as Christians.
I’d encourage you (the reader) to comment on which one of the three areas of guilt that you identify with the most. Along with your result, post one verse that shows why we need not feel guilty in that way. This test brought me a lot of freedom and joy, as I discovered my own personal understanding of how much God values me, accepts me, and has freed me from punishment. I hope God speaks to you through it.
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3 comments:
I identified with the "worthless" ones the most. I'll think of a verse soon. Just a thought, i think that if we didn't feel bad about sin in our lives we would end up being okay with where we are at. The feeling of unworthyness can sometimes be humility and a sign of a broken heart. If i sinned and didn't feel guilt and unworthyness that would be a bad thing and I would be taking God's forgiveness for granted. What do you think?
Hi Ross,
Thanks for your openness and comment. Yes, I agree that we should feel some guilt and pangs of conscience when we sin. It should lead us to repentance and then the guilt should disappear. If the guilt continues, then I'd say a person was under spiritual attack or simply needs to focus on all the spiritual blessings God has blessed us with --in Christ. I went through Eph. 1 today and was sooo blessed to see God's heart toward us. Verse 4 says, 'just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before Him." Wow!!! It was HIS intention from the beginning that we be holy and blameless before Him. I thought about this a long time today. And I pictured myself standing before God's throne -- without fear of condemnation, or His disapproval. You and I and every other believer will stand before Him holy and blameless. And it won't be any of our doing... it will be because of Christ alone.
I always wanted to be perfect!!! One day, because of the riches of His grace and the obedience, love and humility of our Savior, I will be. And so will you!!!
Interestingly enough, mine were tied with worthless and rejection. I think God does allow us to feel guilt when we sin, but He is never the author of feelings of worthlessness. In fact we are worth so much to Him that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins. It seems to make sense that we shouldn't fear punishment, feel worthless, or feel rejection weh we sin. I think that Jesus became worthless, took our punishment, and was rejected by God in our rightful place. I do think that we should feel broken and grieve when we sin because we disobeyed God's commands. I really like the verse that "Anonymous" shared with us. We have been chosen to be holy and blameless. We have gained the fullness of Jesus' righteousness through His death, and on that basis , we need not fear punishment, rejection, or feel worthless.
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