ManageYourEmotionsBook8.5x5.5_RevJULY.indd

13 The Malady of Condemnation (a.k.a. Bad Guilt) “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

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I n the Prison Fellowship newsletter, Jubilee, the late Chuck Colson told about a young boy who became ex- tremely fearful during the great NewYork blackout of 1977. Ques- tioned by his concerned parents, he confessed that at the exact time the lights went out, he had kicked a power line pole.As darkness blanketed the city, he thought he was to blame and would be pun- ished. 90 As crazy as that sounds, countless souls live under the same cloud of guilt, blaming themselves for something they didn’t do or over which they have no control. Unlike the conviction of David described in the last chapter, “good guilt” that resulted in forgiveness and restoration, this condemnation or “bad guilt,” serves only to hold you back and keep you from the good work God wants to do in your life. If you’ve trusted in Christ as your Savior and your confession of sin is up to date, there’s absolutely no reason you should have to

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