As Christians is not uncommon for us to feel guilty whenever we remember our past mistakes.
Some Christians use this period to reflect on the righteousness of God.
How, God saved them from the clutch of darkness and brought them to light.
This might not be the case for you! you probably feel worthless, unhappy, sad and rejected whenever you remember your past mistakes.
Instead of acknowledging God’s deliverance power, you condemn yourself regularly.
Have you forgotten what 2 Corinthians 5: 17 say; if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.
Behold old things have passed away and all things have become new.
This should be your constant confession and declaration.
But how can you declare what you don’t believe? When we engage in self-pity and make statements like;
“Oh what a wretched sinner like me
“How miserable I am
We let the devil in.
Whenever you feel sad or guilty every single time, the accuser is always glad to remind you of your unfaithfulness.
He brings back all your past mistakes and makes us forget about God’s undying love for us.
A lot of Christians backslide not because of sin but because of self-condemnation.
The Bible tells us that God is merciful however, self-condemnation makes us question God’s mercy.
Self-condemnation breeds questions like
• can God ever forgive me?
• I’m miserable are you sure he cares about me?
or other harsh and unpleasant questions and statements.
The Bible says God is merciful and just, he will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear.
But the truth is most times we fall so deeply that we believe that God doesn’t care about us. Is this really true?
Does God judge us for all our sins even where we apologize?
The answer is no! The bible says if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us.
It went further to tell us that Jesus came for the lost, he came to save someone like you and me.
This should be the word that keeps you going when you feel unworthy or undeserving.
Never forget that God loves you so much that he sent his only son to die for you.
God’s love for us is priceless. It is important that we understand how much God loves us and learn to stop condemning ourselves.
Christianity is not just a religion it is actually a faith. As a Christian you have to believe that God has saved you and redeemed you from darkness.
Everything about Christianity revolves around Faith; the Bible says that without faith it is impossible to please God.
We can’t say that we are Christians when we don’t exhibit the principle of faith because everything about Christianity is dependent on Faith.
We have not seen God nor have we seen Jesus, but we have the bible and the holy spirit that gives us the conviction that Christianity is real.
This is faith, it goes beyond what you can see or what is currently occurring. It is a matter of strong belief.
Self condemnation can be dealt with through Faith.
Faith according to the book of Hebrews in the Assurance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen.
When we apply this definition to the concept of self condemnation; it simply means believing that God has forgiven you whenever you request.
The solution to self condemnation is faith. You must believe that when you confess your sins that God is always willing to forgive you. This is the antidote to self worthlessness and low self-esteem.
What is faith
Faith is believing what isn’t like it is on until it becomes a reality.
It is a strong conviction or belief in the supernatural.
When you work in faith, you no longer live by sight or what is happening around you.
Rather you live with the conviction about what is written.
Most Christians doubt God’s word and promises because they lack faith in his word and direction.
The Bible teaches us that faith comes by hearing. You might read the Bible or a book written by a Christian author but have no understanding.
The word “hearing” connotes understanding. If you do not understand you cannot believe.
Lack of faith is deeply rooted in the lack of understanding about God’s word and promises.
You can build up your faith with the following steps;
Read and meditate on God’s word
Pray for the help of God
Spend time to remember how God saved you from past experiences.
Read books on faith.
4 ways faith helps to deal with self condemnation
Faith is the perfect weapon you can use against self-condemnation.
1. It builds confidence
When you have faith, it builds up your confidence. The English dictionary defines confidence as a firm trust or belief in something.
However, most people use confidence interchangeably with faith. In this context, faith and confidence are two different concepts.
When you have faith in God and believe what he says, you build up strength to respond back to the accuser when he brings up your past mistakes.
Without confidence drawn from your faith in God’s word, you cannot be strong enough to stand firm and counter-attack.
When the accused says “you are a thief”
you will suddenly remember everything you once stole in the past and you feel miserable.
However, when you have confidence in God, when the accuser calls you a thief, you will simply respond with a bible verse that you draw confidence from.
2. Faith consciousness kills self-condemnation
A faith conscious mind-set is the best defence against self-condemnation.
When you are fully aware about what God says about your mistakes and pasts.
You will be ready to respond to every negative talk or self hate comment.
A faith conscious individual does not doubt God’s word. He/she is fully aware that they aren’t perfect however, they are holding onto God’s word that says
“All things are passed away and behold all things have become new”
3. It questions your fear and doubt
Faith makes you question your doubts and fears.
When the accuser tries to bring up your past mistakes, it attacks the thoughts with questions and statements like;
Are you calling God a liar? Do you mean the word of God is untrue? But this isn’t what I read in the bible, you can’t be serious.
If you ever feel like you are condemning yourself, always remember your faith in God’s word. This should help you counter your fears and weaknesses.
4. Faith makes you realize that the source of your strength is divine
One of the greatest things faith does is; it further reveals to you that you don’t have to do it yourself.
The Bible says “It’s not by night neither is it by strength but by the spirit says the lord”
Most individuals are scared because they feel alone, forgetting that Jesus sent us the comforter when he was leaving.
The holy spirit is always willing to help you when you ask for his help.
Faith opens your eyes to this truth and helps you recognise the person of the Holy Spirit.
Conclusion
Self-condemnation is an enemy of your success and progress.
The Bible says that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn us. Rather, he came that all may be saved through him.
Always remember that God loves you and he is willing to help you.
Never forget that the love of God upon your life cannot be quantified. Believe in God’s love for you and you will be able to rise above self-condemnation.
