Guilt is insidious. It tends to plague people who are mostly kind and caring, but overly self-critical. Those who are bold, bombastic or cruel seem never to experience it.

Guilt is seldom initiated by the loving Spirit of God. It usually has its source in the perfectionist ego that wants us to review every thought, word or action for its possible negative impact on others.

Most of us would do better to examine how hard we are on ourselves and how our constant self-judgment tends to disconnect us from the loving Source of wisdom and guidance.

The biblical law of love asks us to love others as we love ourselves. If we treated others outwardly the way we tend to treat ourselves inwardly we might truly be appalled.

God doesn’t speak through guilt. Only rarely is that inner critic connected to wisdom, and usually that is because someone else’s real need has entered our awareness to challenge our comfort zone.

Inner neurosis is not helpful. I used to actually be proud that I was my own worst enemy. You weren’t likely to see me as any worse than I saw myself. Now I realize that perspective was profoundly false and blocked me from allowing God’s transforming love to heal and fill me so that I might fulfill my true calling as a child of God.

If you are feeling guilty about something, stop and ask yourself, “Has my action caused real harm to another human being? Has my lack of action diminished another in some way?” Be specific. Vague concerns about your failure to put an end to global warming or do more to end world hunger are debilitating. If you have harmed another, make amends. Don’t waste time wallowing in guilt. Ask yourself what you can do to redeem the situation. If there is no way to make direct amends, then pay it forward. Do something positive for someone else.

Let go of guilt. Allow God’s love to wash your spirit clean, inside and out. As God loves us we are challenged to love ourselves and others – unconditionally. Let this be a day of self-forgiveness and freedom. Amen.