This month's testimony is entitled:

Submitted by Amanda, site moderator.

You know you've drifted away from God not when you've sinned, but wehn you no longer feel guilt for committing a sin. If you can sin and feel no guilt or remorse at all, you should take a careful look at your relationship with God. But if you're like me, imperfect but completely in love with God, even the smallest infraction can torture your very soul.

I have very recently had to deal with this in my life. I told a lie. And although I immediately confessed, I was absolutely tortured by my conscience. I prayed to God for forgiveness, and even though I know I received it ("And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." ~Matthew 21:22), I still felt awful. I felt like a slave to my sin, like I was carrying this huge burden of shame. Then I read this:

Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."
~John 8:34-36

I realized that I was carrying the burden Jesus already bore on the cross 2,000 years ago. jesus set me free on the cross, I just had to learn to give my burdens to the Lord and live in the freedom. Some other verses that comforted and strengthened me:

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
~Romans 8:1

For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
~Psalm 103:11-12

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
~Philippians 4:13

And a great wway to give your burdens to God (for those of you struggling under the weight) is to praise Him. Sing and dance and rejoice the pain away. (Check out this devotion on praise).

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
~Philippians 4:4

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benfits: Who forgives all your iniquities....
~Psalm 103:2-3a

I rejoice in the Lord, because He has forgiven me of my sin and helped me to get past it. I would rather praise God through my troubles than five Satan the satisfaction of tormenting my soul with guilt. I refuse to get depressed or let my sinful nature pull me away from God We all have a sinful nature, and we must learn to supress it with the praises of the Lord and the reading of His Holy Word.

So, we've talked about sin (For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. ~Romans 3:23), we've talked talked about the burden of guilt, we've takled about forgiveness (If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ~1 John 1:9), and we've talked about praise. All you have to do now is tie them together.

If you sin, ask for forgiveness; and then praise God for the forgiveness you received to help relieve the guilt. I hope this helps somehone, because I know it has helped me! God bless each and every one of you guys!


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To submit your testimony, send your first name, e-mail address, the title of your testimony, and the testimony itself to monthlytestimony@hardcoredevotion.cjb.net.


Verses come from the King James version of the Bible, the New King James version of the Bible, and God's Little Lessons for Teens (copyright © 2001 Honor Books), which uses many different translations of the Bible.