Guilt-free

Guilt: the gift that keeps on giving. I have four children. My guilt list is crazy long.

What can we do about the guilt that we mothering figures experience? Mom guilt seems to be the worst kind of guilt for many of us. With the apostle Paul, I want to shout, “Wretched [person] that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Paul’s immediate answer? “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:24-25a). God’s forgiveness is stronger than our guilt.

What have I done about my mom guilt list? I’ve told my children about it. “I hope you can forgive me,” I’ve said. Their responses range from “I don’t remember that,” to “I remember that, but it didn’t ruin my life!” Then they’ve said, “Let me tell you what I feel guilty about in our relationship.” Forgiveness can abound between us.

This message is excerpted from “The reality of mothering” by Susie Gamelin from the May 2020 Gather magazine.

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