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Hey guys, I really hope you can help me.
So, recently I've become very aware of a personal character flaw that has held me back significantly in life. I've always previously thought it was a virtue, but now I'm thinking it's actually a destructive vice.
You see, I have a very guilty conscience about everything. My outlook on life and how I choose my moral actions is entirely based on how guilty I feel about anything. And I always go around feeling guilty, all the time. It's not that I've actually done anything wrong (I haven't), I just always let undue guilt fall on me because I tend to believe that's the responsible action to take... bearing my and others burdens and all. But this makes me gullible to people who can use that against me and try to manipulate me.
My family tells me that instead of basing my sense of morality on a strong sense guilt, I should try to base my morality on conviction. They tell me that because Jesus died for me, my guilt has been taken away, and that now I should live in conviction of how I know right from wrong, and have the strength to stand up for or against what I know to be each. They worry that I'll get myself hurt in my relationships and in my work by having a sense of morality and social relation with others around me based entirely on my own level or personal guilt.
My loved ones even warn me that always feeling guilty about everything I do is selfish, because instead of focusing on God and others and how my actions make them feel, I am focusing on how I feel about myself. This, they tell me, is similar to what a suicide or a self-harm patient does by hurting themselves. They derive a sense of selfish pleasure from the pain, thinking it makes them more noticeable, more lovable as a pitied person, or more right with goodness because they think they deserve the pain.
And, as a last confession, I am probably like this because I am a Masochist. I don't say this just to get attention, I am full-on clinically certified as what I just said. It affects my thoughts sexuality as well. This is something I am beginning to hate about myself, and I wonder is there a way out of it. I don't want to be like this anymore! I don't want to feel ashamed of everything I do and feel like I want to be punished and to be in pain/hurt. I don't want to feel like I have to suffer before I can enjoy my life! I don't always want to go around thinking I deserve it and enjoying pain where I get it! That's just messed up! How do I stop this?! Being like this?!
If there is anyone out there who thinks they can help me, give me some verses, or has been through my problem, please let me know. I want some posts on how to stop this guilty living and live with conviction, strength, and assurance.
So, recently I've become very aware of a personal character flaw that has held me back significantly in life. I've always previously thought it was a virtue, but now I'm thinking it's actually a destructive vice.
You see, I have a very guilty conscience about everything. My outlook on life and how I choose my moral actions is entirely based on how guilty I feel about anything. And I always go around feeling guilty, all the time. It's not that I've actually done anything wrong (I haven't), I just always let undue guilt fall on me because I tend to believe that's the responsible action to take... bearing my and others burdens and all. But this makes me gullible to people who can use that against me and try to manipulate me.
My family tells me that instead of basing my sense of morality on a strong sense guilt, I should try to base my morality on conviction. They tell me that because Jesus died for me, my guilt has been taken away, and that now I should live in conviction of how I know right from wrong, and have the strength to stand up for or against what I know to be each. They worry that I'll get myself hurt in my relationships and in my work by having a sense of morality and social relation with others around me based entirely on my own level or personal guilt.
My loved ones even warn me that always feeling guilty about everything I do is selfish, because instead of focusing on God and others and how my actions make them feel, I am focusing on how I feel about myself. This, they tell me, is similar to what a suicide or a self-harm patient does by hurting themselves. They derive a sense of selfish pleasure from the pain, thinking it makes them more noticeable, more lovable as a pitied person, or more right with goodness because they think they deserve the pain.
And, as a last confession, I am probably like this because I am a Masochist. I don't say this just to get attention, I am full-on clinically certified as what I just said. It affects my thoughts sexuality as well. This is something I am beginning to hate about myself, and I wonder is there a way out of it. I don't want to be like this anymore! I don't want to feel ashamed of everything I do and feel like I want to be punished and to be in pain/hurt. I don't want to feel like I have to suffer before I can enjoy my life! I don't always want to go around thinking I deserve it and enjoying pain where I get it! That's just messed up! How do I stop this?! Being like this?!
If there is anyone out there who thinks they can help me, give me some verses, or has been through my problem, please let me know. I want some posts on how to stop this guilty living and live with conviction, strength, and assurance.