Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The Power of Guilt

Times journalist Robert Crampton writes about his decision to cut back on his heavy drinking and points to an unfashionable truth....

Maybe we need to rediscover the motivating power of guilt. The received wisdom these days is that guilt is a pointless emotion. You hear it said all the time and it is totally wrong. Guilt is a valuable resource if used as motivation to stop doing a bad thing. Guilt is the biggest motivation I have used to get myself in order. Summon up your guilt, your shame, and you can use it to overpower desire.
The Times Magazine, 11/12/10.

Of course guilt without the Gospel - is just misery without medicine. But as a starting point for seeing our need to change and pointing us to Jesus then RC has more insight than most modern lifestyle gurus (including some Christian ones) who write today.

See also an old post: The Gospel's Guilty Secret.