Guilt – Good or Bad?
This subject of guilt is necessary and is needed to understand in order to better comprehend why we do the things we do in life. Basically, guilt is “The recognition that we are doing something wrong, or failing in an obligation.” It is an internal sensor that we have made a choice that is against our moral or ethical upbringing. Do we have control over this? I believe we do. Let me explain.
Everyone born has been given a gift from God that helps direct us on the correct path of right verses wrong, good verses evil. This gift is called a conscience. It is that little internal voice that warns you, even before you may make a wrong decision “Not to go there.” We, I believe, can affect this gift if we misuse it by omission of action. By continually ignoring it’s promptings we can lose it permanently.
So, where does guilt relate, or connect with the conscience? Well, guilt is a result of actions we have control over. Guilt is self-imposed, where as a conscience is God given. The conscience is a defense mechanism that guards against things that can harm the body or the spirit. If not listened to we can fall into bad decisions that can bring remorse or guilt, and if listened to our good decisions can bring a clearness of conscience and a peace of mind. However, regarding guilt, it can go out of control if we let it get overactive. I’m sure you know someone riddled by guilt continually, even when it is not necessary. This is abuse of the system, however most who go into the overuse mode don’t recognize it as damaging.
Even on a subconscious level, each of us holds the controls by which we can recognize and manage our choices for good or bad. We are very complex spiritual beings living in a human existence. We have both a spirit and body that collaborate together in order to allow us to live. It is up to us to recognize this and give credit to promptings we may have from our spirit.
This week I have talked with three different individuals going through separation from a spouse. In two of these situations, the husbands have walked away from the family dynamic to pursue, what they may perceive as a better life with another woman. Each of these cases has young children involved and has devastated the family unit. I write about this because I cannot help but question, “What has gone wrong with the conscience of these husbands/fathers that would allow them to create a shattered existence for their families?” Do they have a still small voice that speaks to them before they make such life changing choices, or have they ignored it for so long that it no longer abides with them? And if their conscience isn’t there to aid them, do they also no longer have guilt to follow in letting them know that they have done something wrong? I wonder what it will take to wake such a person up, shake such a person up to right their wrongs and take hold of a courageous stance in humbling themselves to the steps of righting a wrong?
If you are in a place where you have silenced your messengers I implore you to stop, look and listen to what you really have lost. I believe it is never too late to change the heart of a man, but if change is needed it is usually only through humility that change can happen. Is it worth the agony it may take to gain back these tools, these gifts? YES, every bit of it if you want to be one who walks in light and not in the dark. The courage to do so may feel out of your reach, but just take the first step to truly look at where you are, and then maybe, your next step will follow. One baby step at a time you will get there, and when you have gotten there you will know it by simply . . . a feeling of PEACE.
In Other’s Words:
“Hard though it may be to accept, remember that guilt is sometimes a friendly internal voice reminding you that you’re messing up.”
~ Marge Kennedy~