Proverbs 14:9Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation.Proverbs Daily is a reader and listener supported program. Every post is free, but if you’d like to help spread the message and make the sacred positively contagious consider being a free or paid subscriber. Just look for the word upgrade or subscribe and click on that. Thanks in advance!Everyone talks about guilt like it’s a mistake — something to avoid, hide, or disappear under the rug. “Don’t feel guilty,” they say. “Guilt is just wasted energy.”But here’s the truth: in nature, nothing is wasted. Energy flows. Food is eaten, transformed, and yes — waste is produced. Now ain’t that some shiitake mushrooms! Na, joking…but seriously…that waste isn’t useless right? It returns back into the soil, nourishing the next generation.I believe guilt works in the same way. It’s the aftermath or the natural fallout from seeing wrongdoing, either in ourselves or in the world. Now if it’s misused, guilt can poison your mind. But used rightly, guilt becomes fertilizer for your soul, a tool for cultivating reflection, growth, and transformation.Proverbs 14:9 says: "Fools make fun of guilt, but the godly acknowledge it and seek reconciliation."The upright don’t run from guilt. They face it, recognize it, and respond. Guilt becomes that whisper: “Step back into alignment. Do the right thing.” And the righteous response is, “It’s me, oh Lord, standing in need — recognizing my missteps and asking for help to do better.”Yea guilt is uncomfortable, maybe even a little awkward. But every attentive tinge, every noticeable inward check, every moment that you honestly answer the questions that guilt prompts, it strengthens the soul and refines the heart to the point that eventually, you can stand guilt free because you’ve asked yourself the hard questions.But just realize that guilt isn’t a forever loop to play with. Once you’ve processed it, learn to be gentle with yourself and let it go. That’s the reconciliation part of the verse, not wallowing in unresolved feelings.See, guilt is not a weapon to punish yourself or punish others, but a tool to course-correct. God motivates us to forgive ourselves even while recognizing where we’ve fallen short. You see the guilt, own it, then release it into the cycle of transformation — just like returning nutrients into the soil.Now do you see why it’s such a foolish thing to try to bypass guilt by ‘mocking it’?And I understand because facing guilt ain’t easy. It’s a real struggle — do you know how many people carry the weight of guilt? Unsure how to process it, ashamed to admit it, afraid that admitting it makes them look weak?Oh if they could ever discover that acknowledging it, working with it, and then releasing it allows the soul to blossom and find favor in God’s eyes!Guilt done right is a call to repair, a divine guidepost, a secret fertilizer that feeds the garden of your character. Misused, it becomes toxic...shitty…yea I said it–And I ain’t guilty! Cause if used wisely, guilt can cultivate growth, justice, and self-love.So let me Drop the Gavel:"Guilt is the call; how you respond grows the soul."🙏🏽 PrayerGod, teach me to face guilt, grow, and release it.💡 Today’s Challenge:Sit quietly. Name one area you feel guilty. Own it. Say: It’s me, oh Lord, standing in the need. Ask God for guidance, take one step toward reconciliation, and let the rest return to the soil.About the AuthorFred Lynch is a creative communicator, author, and Christian Hip Hop pioneer. To learn more about Fred and what he’s up to now…click here or you can find him in all the socials by searching the handle: heyfredlynch📱Experience Proverbs Daily by Subscribing!Ready to receive daily wisdom directly on your phone?Go to proverbsdaily.org for the app or just click that Subscribe button right now!Be Wise and Be Well...peace.Thanks for reading Proverbs Daily! This post is public so feel free to share it.
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