Free of Guilt

One of my goals this year is to travel lightly, (I’m reading Max Lucado’s book Traveling Light), and one thing I want to lay down is guilt.  It’s not really guilt for past sins that plague me, I know I’ve been forgiven.  It’s mostly guilt about not being good enough, not performing well, or not giving enough.  And I want to be free.

So, join me if you will!

In Exodus 20, in the list of the 10 Commandments, we are told this…

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

That’s a strong command and one with a bit of “scare” hooked up with it.

However, I have rarely looked at this command except under the umbrella of cursing, using God’s name in that way.

But how many times do I use misuse God’s name when I say that I love Him and He loves me, and I follow Him and want to be associated with His name, but yet I walk around feeling shamed and dismayed…after all He’s done for me?

Could that be a misuse of His name?

When he says I’m spotless, that I’m approved and pleasing in his sight, and that I’m his daughter and all He has is mine, and yet I go around feeling guilty and shaming the work that He’s done for me, is that a wrong use of His name?

I think so.

I’m not one that struggles with using God’s name in vain, but I do often struggle with bearing his Name and resting in all that He has for me, as his daughter.

I’d like to think about how I use His name this year, in a whole new light…