Guilt is an insidious reaction that contributes to stress. Guilt cries out, “Never enough!” When you feel guilty or ashamed, or you blame yourself for not being or doing all you think you’re supposed to be, you can never find peace. Relentlessly goaded by guilt, your life becomes a stress-filled attempt to make amends. Guilt is a crushing load that breaks the back of even the strong. No one can bear up under it. Few things rob us of peace and create stress in our lives more than guilt.
We feel obliged to make room for our guilt; we pick it up and carry it around with us wherever we go. Guilt, therefore, is a prime candidate for sneaking its way back into our lives, if we don’t replace it with gratitude.
