Guilt is the fact of being responsible for the commission of an offense. This guilt can be due to culpability for a crime or lesser breach of regulations that carries a legal penalty. Further, it is a remorseful awareness of having done something wrong, and with-it self-reproach for supposed inadequacy or wrongdoing.
Brief Explanation:
Guilt is different than shame, which is covered in some detail below. Guilt usually is a feeling, or a conscious awareness that one’s attitude or behavior has violated some agreed upon rule of life. It is the experience of feeling remorseful, genuinely sorry for having done something to hurt someone else or breaking a given code. Guilt is healthy if there is indeed something that has been done wrong by the person, and the answer for it is confession, repentance, and if necessary restitution. However, the problem often seen in counseling is in working with someone with too much guilt (overwhelming guilt over minor things, or things they in fact did not do or were not responsible for, such as the victim of abuse) or too little guilt (for a sociopath, such as a criminal or drug addict with no sense of responsibility for one’s behavior). In either case, reality is what is needed, or an honest appraisal, in light of the word of God, of the behavior of the individual. It is important not to maximize or minimize guilt, but lead the client to resolution of it beginning with an honest appraisal or diagnosis of the guilty offense, and a biblical response, as noted above.
The Word of God:
Psalm 32:3, 5
“When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord;’ And You forgave the guilt of my sin.”
Psalm 103:12
“As far as the east if from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.”
2 Chronicles 30:9
“For the Lord, your God is gracious and compassionate, and will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”
