Guilty Conscience - need an escape

[4enlightment]

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.

The Spirit is letting you to know your faults and telling you not to go that direction any more.

 

[Ugly]

The Spirit is letting you to know your faults and telling you not to go that direction any more.

That kind of guilt is not from the Holy Spirit. The guilt he is experiencing makes him put himself down, and lack change. The Holy Spirit convicts us, letting us know we've done wrong and feeling bad, but then prompting us to change. He is just beating himself up out of guilt.

 

[4enlightment]

That kind of guilt is not from the Holy Spirit. The guilt he is experiencing makes him put himself down, and lack change. The Holy Spirit convicts us, letting us know we've done wrong and feeling bad, but then prompting us to change. He is just beating himself up out of guilt.

1 Peter 3:21 and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

1 Corinthians 4:4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.

Daniel 12:2 Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

[john832]

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.

Base your sense of morality on what God says is sin, not on your conscience. Repent of sin and ask God for forgiveness...

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

You can read the entire book of I John and find it is very encouraging (I won't C&P the whole book here).