OLD TAPES

I still have the tendency of playing old tapes in my mind which leads to stinkin' thinkin'. Especially when it comes to feeling guilty and condemned.

Below is a wonderful devotional from Beth Moore on Guilt and Repentance. It may not be the usual what you may think about the two, but an interesting approach to how we actually think and possibly wear ourselves out mentally and emotionally with the negative thoughts we conjure up daily. Our painful past memories that we have not dealt with fully.

Beth offers a peaceful resolution. Will be worth the read.

Scripture Reading: Hebrews 9:11-15

Today’s Treasure: “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:14).

Christians often still suffer from guilty consciences even after sincere repentance. What has gone wrong? The body of Christ suffers terribly from unbelief. We often do not accept and believe the full work of God’s redemption. In fact, our own consciences will go so far as to come forward as a witness for the prosecution rather than the defense.

One of the most powerful names I’ve ever heard given to the conscience is recorder. As in tape recorder. That ought to make plenty of sense to any of us who knows the agony of our minds rewinding and replaying an old tape incessantly. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Rewind. Play. Torment.

We keep waiting for the tape to wear out, but it never does. Some of us are still harboring such old guilt that it’s an eight-track, for crying out loud. Sadly, people die with old tapes still rewinding and playing in their minds and haunting their consciences.

You see, the tape is established in our memory. We have no way of getting rid of it. We make promises such as, “Today I’m not going to think about this part of my past or my old sin a single time.” We even make the commitment to God in prayer. Then by 10:00 a.m., the old mental habits kick back in; we involuntarily push rewind and play again. No amount of determination or even time can make a powerful old tape cease playing on the recorder of our minds and consciences.

What is the answer? We have to record over the old tape with the truth of God’s Word and the testimony of His fresh work! I cannot take back my past sins, but I can allow God to forgive me, restore me, redeem every mistake I’ve made, and cleanse my guilty conscience. Thereby, through the power of the Holy Spirit, my past is reframed, and its destructive power is diffused.

When Satan comes back to taunt me, I replay the old tape with the new recording of God’s forgiveness and redemption on it. I have said to the accuser, “You’re right about one thing only. I did commit that sin, but God has graciously forgiven me. He has empowered me to live differently and even redeemed my mistakes. He has used my past experiences to make me compassionate and merciful. You cannot make unclean what my God has made clean. I’ve been to the cross and trusted Christ not only to save me from my sins but to cleanse my guilty conscience. You’re too late, devil. You no longer have grounds to torment me. Your voice is strong and loud, but I refuse to believe you. I believe God, and I will hold unswervingly to the work He has accomplished in me.”

I just demonstrated what it sounds like when we push rewind and play the old tape with new information recorded on it. Satan hates to hear our testimonies of God’s redemption so much that if you’ll keep reframing it with God’s truth every time the devil accuses you, he will stop.

Lord, I want to cease cooperating with the enemy and start cooperating with You, my faithful God. I don’t have to suffer an agonizing conscience when I’ve turned from sin! I believe and confess that the cross is strong enough to cleanse my conscience. Please help me return to the cross where I first believed, and believe my Savior to set me free not only from my sin but from my guilt. In His merciful name, Amen.

Adapted from When Godly People Do Ungodly Things, by Beth Moore, pages 134-142. Nashville: LifeWay Press, 2003.