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ESCAPING THE GUILT TRAP

One of the most poisonous of emotions is that of guilt. We have all been haunted by the ghost of guilt. The worst trip you can go on is a guilt trip! It will take you further than you want to go. How do you escape this guilt trap? David was delivered from his guilt and he talks about this is Psalm 32.

1. Admit your fault (vs 3-4)

You don't have to admit it to the world but you do have to admit it to God. David had kept it silent from God. He was trying to cover it up or sweep it under the carpet. Nixon was run out of office because he kept silent about Watergate.

We try to rationalise and maybe blame someone else. We live in a no-fault society. There is little admission of sin and an illness for everything. Drunks are "chemically dependant". Rebel kids are "hyperactive". It is amazing! You can't find an old-fashioned sinner any more. People are not sinners they are sick, they are not wicked they are weak, they are not carnal they are confused. Gluttons have "eating disorders". We blame someone or something else rather than ourselves. You need to admit your fault! God wants to help sinners.

You cannot sin and be happy about it. God won't let you. If we live a consistent lifestyle of sin we will not be happy. If you can do it then you are not saved. God gave David sorrow and guilt. Sorrow is good but guilt needs to to dealt with. It is an open wound that needs to be treated as soon as possible.

2. Acknowledge your failure (vs 5)

David acknowledged his sin to the Lord. David came clean about his sin. You only do this when you are convicted by the Holy Spirit. Satan will accuse you but the Holy Spirit will convince you. Satan will accuse you even if you have been forgiven. Some people should feel guilty and some people should not. If you have acknowledged your sin and given it over to the Lord, there is nothing more that you can do.

The Holy Spirit does not go back and dig up your dirt! It is Satan who accuses those who have acknowledged their failure. David knew he was forgiven by the Lord. Jesus did not condemn those sinners who came in repentance. He did condemn those who were self-righteous in their own eyes.

You might as well confess your sin to the Lord. You are hiding something that the Lord already knows about.

3. Accept your forgiveness (vs 1-2)

You can be forgiven but fail to accept it. You cannot forgive yourself. The Devil is allowed to bring trauma to your life because of your failure to accept God's forgiveness. You must accept God's forgiveness if you ask for it. David was happy for three reasons:-

His sin was covered.
His sin was cleared. His sin had been carried off and never seen again! It is like taken you bin/trash out and it is collected and never seen again. Are you going looking for the trash? We need to put it away for good. See Psalm 103:12. God carries it as far as the east is from the west. Let God take your trash away. He takes your sin away and forgets about it. See Jeremiah 31:34.
His sin was cancelled. God did not put the sin to his account. It had all been cancelled. God has wiped his slate clean. See Isaiah 1:18; 38:17 & 43:18.

You need to get out of the guilt trap. You can have a brand new life if you admit your fault, acknowledge your failure and accept your forgiveness.