guilt and shame

“For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” 2 Cor 7:10

“Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” Isaiah 12:3
Good morning, brothers and sisters. Today, I feel led by the Holy Spirit to discuss about something that many of us struggle with—guilt and shame.

We’ve all experienced it—that lingering weight of past mistakes, the feeling of having fallen short or failed in our walk with God. It can be subtle, or it can overwhelm us. And if it’s not addressed, it doesn’t just stay as guilt—it can begin to spread. It grows into depression, complacency, indifference, and sometimes even contention with others.

When guilt and shame are left unchecked, we start to feel disconnected. Not only from God, but from the people around us. We withdraw because we’re ashamed. We wonder if we’ve gone too far or if we’re beyond God’s grace. And sometimes, in our frustration, we become defensive, even contentious, because we feel stuck.

This sense of failure can turn into complacency in our faith. We start thinking, “Why try anymore? Why seek God when I feel like I keep letting Him down?” The joy we once had in our walk with the Lord begins to fade. We feel like we’re just going through the motions. We might still come to church, but our hearts feel heavy. We’ve lost the joy of our salvation, and we’re carrying the burden of guilt alone.

Does this resonate with anyone today?

But why do we feel like this? Why does guilt and shame have such a strong hold over us?

I believe the answer lies in how we handle it. You see, the Bible speaks of two ways we can respond to our sin—worldly sorrow and godly sorrow.

Many of us, whether we realise it or not, are living with worldly sorrow. Worldly sorrow happens when we regret our sin, but our regret is focused on the wrong things. Instead of bringing our hearts to God for healing, we’re more concerned with how we look before others. We start worrying more about our reputation—about what people think of us—than our relationship with God. And this kind of sorrow leads us into a cycle of guilt and shame, but it doesn’t lead to real change. It doesn’t lead to freedom.

Let’s look at Saul, Israel’s first king. After disobeying God’s clear instructions, Saul admitted his sin, but he wasn’t truly repentant. He was more concerned about how he appeared in front of the people than with his standing before God. In 1 Sam 15:30, he said to the prophet Samuel, “I have sinned. But please honour me before the elders of my people and before Israel.” His focus wasn’t on repentance—it was on saving face. Saul’s worldly sorrow didn’t lead to transformation, and eventually, he lost his kingship, his relationship with God, and his peace. We know it wasn’t because he ‘s wrong God or that his action has mal their relationship. Hear Saul’ s word, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes” 1 Sam 3:18.

Worldly sorrow is like that—it traps us in guilt and shame because we’re focused on appearances, on managing how we look, rather than bringing our hearts to God for healing. And when we live this way, it leads to depression and indifference. We feel like we’re constantly trying but never getting anywhere. We grow weary and complacent, carrying this heavy burden by ourselves.

But brothers and sisters, there’s another way—godly sorrow.

Godly sorrow comes from the Holy Spirit. It’s a conviction that leads us back to God, not away from Him. Godly sorrow is about repentance. It doesn’t focus on what people think, but on our heart before God. And this kind of repentance brings healing. It brings restoration. It frees us from the weight of guilt and shame.

Let’s compare Saul to Peter. Peter also failed—he denied Jesus three times. But Peter’s sorrow was different. His sorrow was rooted in his relationship with Jesus. He wept bitterly after realising what he had done, but instead of turning away from God, Peter’s sorrow led him to repentance. And because he came back to Jesus with a humble heart, Jesus restored him. Peter’s godly sorrow led to healing and transformation.

On the other hand, let’s look at Judas. Judas experienced worldly sorrow after betraying Jesus. He felt regret and tried to return the silver, but his sorrow didn’t lead him back to God. It led him to despair. Judas was overwhelmed by guilt, but instead of seeking forgiveness, he took matters into his own hands, and his story ended in destruction.

Godly sorrow leads to life. It brings us to a place where we can be real with God, where we lay our brokenness at His feet and allow Him to heal us. It’s not about trying to fix ourselves—it’s about trusting in God’s grace to restore us.

The difference between worldly sorrow and godly sorrow is the difference between carrying a burden alone and letting God carry it for you.

Many of us are like Saul, more focused on appearances than on true repentance. We’re trying to manage our guilt and shame ourselves, but it’s weighing us down. That’s why we feel tired. That’s why we feel stuck. But God is calling us to be like Peter—to bring our sorrow, our guilt, and our shame to Him and let Him restore us.

If you’re feeling the weight of guilt and shame today, know that God hasn’t turned His back on you. He’s calling you to bring your brokenness to Him. He doesn’t want you to carry it alone any longer. He wants to lift the burden of worldly sorrow off of you and replace it with godly sorrow that leads to freedom, peace, and joy.

Let’s not be concerned with what others think. Let’s be concerned with our hearts before God. When we repent with godly sorrow, God doesn’t just forgive us—He restores the joy of our salvation. He takes away the shame, He lifts the guilt, and He makes us new again.

So, today, if you’ve been struggling with guilt, with shame, with depression or complacency, bring it to God. He is ready and waiting to restore you. He’s not asking you to have it all together. He’s asking you to come to Him, just as you are, and let Him heal your heart.

Let’s pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us into godly sorrow, to bring us to a place of true repentance and restoration. A place of Joy in the Holy Ghost!

Joy of Salvation

Kay Alli