Welcome to today’s Daily Redemption — where the two silent thieves of mental peace that steal our joy and relationship with God – one colors the past in dark tones and the other steals our future and both interfere with our relationship with God.
Featured Scripture and Commentary
2 Corinthians 10:5 We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
So what are the two that contribute to mental illness, that the Bible advises against and yet we do every day??
Grief? Nope. God has no problem with us grieving. Jesus had no problem with me grieving my cat who passed on 22nd of November and I did
so often. Every time I thought I was past the waves of emotion I would remember something she would do and I would puddle-ize. But let us remember, shortest sentence in the Bible which occurs twice – once for Lazarus and once for Jerusalem – “Jesus wept”. It is one of the strongest sentence in the Bible as far as I am concerned as it shows the heart of God, His compassion and His understanding of our suffering more clearly, in its brevity, than just about anything else in God’s Word. The ungodly like to portray a “judgemental” harsh God and then you say “Jesus wept” and what can they say? So bawl your eyes out. God did. He has no problem with your being a big old crybaby.
And yet there are two others. One points to the past and one points to the future with a darkness that takes us away from God.
One of them is said in the bible in different variations, a reported 365 times.
Want to know what they are?
Ok, thanks for clicking through if you came here from today’s email.
1. Feel guilty (for sins He has already forgiven)
2. Worry (about an outcome He has already secured)
Guilt says, “You must pay for this.”
The Gospel says, “Jesus already paid.”
Worry says, “You must control this.”
Faith says, “God is in control.”
And there is not a whole lot more to say. If we feel guilty then we are rejecting the gift of the Cross. Jesus accepted us knowing our sin nature so He could rescue us.
If we feel fearful than we are choosing worry over God. “Be still and know that I am God”. Be still? Yes, stop trembling about the future. Stop lamenting the guilt that is no longer a luxury we have a right to because Jesus lift it from us. Did I feel guilty about my cat’s passing and all the indicators I missed that she was not well? You bet I did! Then I remembered that Jesus forgave me and I will have to let it go. Every time the enemy whispers guilt in my ear I remember him that I am covered by the blood and to scram. Then I pray and then I go about my day.
I worry that if I keep writing I will overstate the point and then I will feel guilty. We all do it. This is not condemnation. This is something to remember every time
we worry or feel guilty every day. Choose God. Choose the salvation God offers us through His Son, our Saviour, at the Cross.
CORROBORATING SCRIPTURE
Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew from Chapter 6, verses 27,25 and 34, 1 Peter 5:7 Isaiah 41:10, 2 Timothy 1:7
Philippians 4:6–7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 6:27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…”
Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.”
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.”
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-discipline.
TODAY’s MESSAGE
We spend our days doing two things God explicitly commands us not to do:
1. Carry guilt for sins He has already forgiven.
2. Carry worry for futures He has already secured.
One believer shared: “I wake up replaying mistakes from ten years ago (guilt). I go to sleep imagining disasters that haven’t happened yet (worry). I’m exhausted. Then I read Romans 8:1: ‘No condemnation.’ And Matthew 6:27: ‘Who can add an hour by worrying?’ I realized my guilt is an insult to the Cross—it says Jesus’ payment wasn’t enough. My worry is an insult to His sovereignty—it says He isn’t in control. When I stopped doing these two things, my mental health didn’t just improve; my soul found rest.”
The Trap of Guilt:
To hold onto guilt is to reject the sufficiency of the Cross. Confess it (1 John 1:9), receive forgiveness, and move forward. God remembers your sins no more (Hebrews 10:17). Why do you keep what He has thrown into the sea?
The Trap of Worry:
Worry is interest paid on trouble before it arrives—and most of it never does. It drains your energy for today’s grace. Cast it on Him (1 Peter 5:7). He cares for you.
The Solution:
Take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5). When guilt rises: “Forgiven.” When worry rises: “Provided for.”
PRAYER FOR WHOMSOEVERS
Lord, forgive me for carrying burdens You died to remove. Help me stop insulting Your sacrifice with my guilt and Your sovereignty with my worry. Teach me to live in the freedom of the Cross and the security of Your care. Guard my mind today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
