This Thing Called ... Life

I often struggle with the guilt aspects of Christianity.  It's hard for me to recognize my shortcomings without having a constant guilt about it.  In other words, I have a really hard time not beating myself up about every little thing and imagining that God does the same.  

We studied mercy this week in Bible study and I realized something very important about the guilt and the issue of living in those feelings of guilt.  I, like all humans, deserve death because of my sin.  But I am not the same as what I deserve.  What I deserve is not my identity; my shortcomings and faults, which are many, do not define me.  God is merciful (rich and abundant in mercy!) and He sees me not as a person deserving death, but as a person who was created in His own image and someone who is worth saving.  God sees my potential, not all the mistakes I keep making.  He sees the direction I am moving and the true desires of my heart and does not dwell on the mistakes that I make.  God expects repentance, no doubt, but He separates me from my sin.  As far as the east is from the west.  As God sees me, so I should see myself.  As He has shown mercy, so I should show mercy, both to myself and others.  To dwell in guilt is like saying God's gift wasn't enough, His mercy isn't really enough.  Is that the kind of thanks that I want to give?

I am so thankful that God sees me in His light and not through my eyes.  I pray for the ability to look past the guilt to growth.