Anxiety and worry, guilt and remorse
There were two big questions raised after the sermon on Sunday night (Isaiah 6.1-7).
Firstly, I mentioned something about whether anxiety was a sin if we’re commanded in Philippians not to be anxious.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
This was abbreviating a book review of Jerry Bridges’ Respectable Sins which was recently reviewed in the Briefing. The book review made me think it is definitely worth reading, to be reminded again of how easily our Christianity takes on aspects of our worldview that God is against. Other areas mentioned are impatience, selfishness, favouritism …
I’m sorry if what I said was insensitive to those thinking of friends and family with medically diagnosed anxiety issues.
What I was and am keen to challenge us on is the little things we may worry about that are out of our control.
John Bartik’s reflections on Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry, Be Happy are worth a read.
Secondly, I ended with the reminder that we needn’t feel guilt about sin if we’re forgiven.
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” (Isaiah 6:6-7)
I think there’s a difference between feeling guilty and feeling remorseful about sin. I understand remorse as something which also implies regret and repentance. ie a desire to not keep sinning.
I think feeling guilty about sin can lead to two problems.
- You feel more and more guilt in which case you don’t trust God’s grace to forgive.
- The guilt makes you want to try harder and be more godly so you don’t trust God’s grace to forgive.
The right response to recognising the sin in our lives is to repent, to say sorry to God and to ask him to forgive us. I think the danger is that all too often we want to say sorry and I won’t do it again, as though we can make ourselves more godly.
What do you think? Have I overstated my case?