Courtship Class: Week Two!

Hello Dear Friends!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. It is such a blessing to have dear friends like you all!

I apologize for not posting about the second week of Courtship Class sooner. We have been busy throughout the past week! For those of you who did not read my first post on the Courtship Class I am taking, you may click here.

This past week, we actually learned about two of the seven giants in our lives. Those two giants were lust and guilt. We didn't talk about lust in depth, so I am going to head right into guilt.

I would like to read off something from a hand-out that we all received:

Guilt is like a leak in an "emotional bucket." When the bucket is empty, depression results. We can use up our emotional energy on great works like Elijah's revival on Mount Carmel, or we can use it on the guilt of secret sins. Jonah's depression was caused by his emotional drain from the revival of Nineveh, his guilt over running from God, and his anger at God!

I thought this reading was a wonderful example for us. Instead of feeling guilty all the time because of our sins, we need to work on serving God. After all, God is a God of forgiveness and He loves us so very much!

I would also like to share some Scripture passages and insight with all of you.

Guilt takes for granted that there is a universal standard of right and wrong.

"Show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another." ~ Romans 2:15 ~

What is sin? Failure to measure up to the standard of this law

"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." ~ Romans 3:23 ~

What is iniquity? Doing our own will, even if it appears to be good.

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." ~ Matthew 7:22-23 ~

Here is some responses to sin:

• Covering up sin

• Avoiding God's presence

• Blaming others

• Denying sin

• Justifying sin

• Lying about sin

• Giving deceptive answers

• Judging other people

• Reacting to the message

• Being too harsh

• Being too lenient

• Finding wrong support

I would like to finish talking about guilt with the meaning of depression:
Depression is simply the result of running out of emotional energy. It can be used up on either good or bad activities.

Remember- Guilt is a continual drain or emotional energy. Sooner or later, it will bring about depression and all the accompanying emotional, mental, physical , and spiritual consequences.

To end this post, I would like to talk on one more subject. That subject is on lies. On Friday evening at our class, we were given a sheet entitled How Can I Conquer Lies? The lies listed on the page were:

• I am not good enough.

• I am ugly.

• I can't say anything right.

• I am a failure.

• I am stupid.

• I am not important.

• I can never measure up.

• I do not fit in.

• I am inadequate.

If you ever have these thoughts about yourself, please feel free to email me. I will share some insight with you and also give you some Scripture references. If you don't have these thoughts, but still want to have some insight, feel free to email me as well! I would be more than happy to share further information from the sheet with all of you!

Thank you so much for your time.

Many Blessings,