A Guilt Free New Year

Has the Christmas break left you feeling fat, unhealthy, and uncomfortable in your 2006 wardrobe? Have you made any new years resolutions based on guilty feelings? Why do you feel this way?

Weight loss commercials are pretty popular these days. Have you seen the one where a slim Whoppi Goldberg wearing black and confidence shames her overweight twin who slouches, eats too much and wears bulky peach colored sweaters into joining a weight loss program? What about the Jell-O commercial, with the tag line “every diet needs room to wiggle”? January’s commercial sales pitch is “guilt”. The media creates a need in us, and then using guilt they offer a remedy to that need with their product.

What’s the deal with guilt and why is it so powerful? Lately it’s been overwhelmingly present. Somehow I’ve let lies tell me how I should feel. I’ve allowed myself to be convinced that since I didn’t exercise over Christmas I am now overweight and desperately need to eat more Jell-O and less toberlone. Lately I’ve felt unfit and bloated in my relationship with God. I’ve convinced myself that since I didn’t uphold my regular intimate schedule with God, were now experiencing some problems. And the simple feeling of shame has actually created some problems. I’ve had difficulty coming to God in prayer and reading His Word. There’s a constant advertising pitch in my ear informing me that I’m seeking God out of guilt and that our relationship is not sincere.

One of the Jewish New Years, called the “Civil New Year” occurs during the seventh month of the Jewish calendar in the month of Tishrei. In the book of Hebrews the author tells us a story of about how the priests of old used to enter into the inner room of the Tabernacle once a year on the 10th day of Tishrei. Once inside the priest would offer gifts and sacrifices, unfortunately this act was not able to clear the conscience of the worshiper. The priest and the people would still experience guilt, even after a sacrifice. Apparently guilt and the celebration of New Years is a long standing tradition. Hebrews goes on to tell us that Jesus in a sacrifice once for all, became for us the first priest in history to experience a New Year’s free from guilt. “His sacrifice has made perfect forever those who are being made holy”. In Jesus (Hebrews 10:19) “since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience.”

Jesus initiated for us the possibility of a guilt free New Year, that’s something to celebrate. Let’s make a resolution. Stop listening to the voice of deception and guilt and actually enter with confidence the most Holy Place. Jesus is not about guilt trips, He’s about sincerity and authenticity. I believe Jesus initiated the first ever non-guilt New Years, and I will celebrate daily the confidence I have to enter the most Holy Place. I will no longer believe the lies that I must live in the bondage of shame. If I confess my sins, he is faithful and just to forgive them. Therefore I am free from guilt.