Famous Psychiatrist Karl Menninger believes that an evil conscience is making people ill. So if you’re unwell in your body right now, I hope that this post may shed some light as to one possible reason believers are not receiving their healing.
This post also gives us some tips on how to allow God to set us free, thus opening the door to healing.
An evil conscience is really the Bible’s definition of being sin conscious. (Heb 10:22). It’s not the sin itself contributing to illness, but the guilt or condemnation that can sometimes follow it.
Menninger famously said that if he could convince those in his psychiatric hospitals that their sins were forgiven, 75% of them could walk out the next day.
I wonder if you feel that sense of disappointment with yourself when you mess up?
Do you ruminate on mistakes and regrets and allow them to steal your present moments? I’m talking about those times when you overanalyse something you’ve said or done.
Sometimes this can come through the voice of others if you have critical people around you.
Maybe you’re convinced you’re not healed because of your sin.
If you have people in your life who tell you what needs to change in order to be healed or who are they continually screening you for your hindrances?
This can also be an evil conscience.
Even if you’re not aware, on some level, an evil conscience can sometimes ‘live’ in your unconscious. Your body remembers what the mind cannot.
Bessel Van Der Kolk in his book ‘The Body Keeps The Score’ tells of how we carry the imprints of any trauma in the cells of our bodies…..which creates disease!
WHO GETS AN EVIL CONSCIENCE?
I believe that perfectionists and those with a massive sense of responsibility are more likely to suffer from guilt or an evil conscience.
Perfectionists have an internal moral code which is irrationally high causing them to feel condemned when they don’t reach their own standards.
I call this our own personal internal pharisee! He’s our inner critic and his role is to point out all your failings and weaknesses.
He accuses you of things you may or may not have done and he often projects that onto others as well.
Image: Rebekah Ballagh Journey to Wellness
I didn’t realise I was so perfectionistic until I started counselling. I came to realise that my internal pharisee was working overtime!
It didn’t take much for me to feel condemned.
The thoughts of ‘I’m not good enough’ can be very controlling. This stems from the root of shame.
In an indirect way, this is still an evil conscience. If you can relate to this, take a read of WHY FEELING UNWORTHY OF GOD’S LOVE HINDERS HEALING
THE ANTIDOTE TO A SIN CONSCIOUSNESS
STEP 1: KNOW THE TRUTH
Understanding the forgiveness of Christ, is a great place to start. The Bible tells us we are cleansed forever. (and not until our next sin which is what I used to think.)
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.
Heb 8:12
I love the Message translation: “the slate of our sins is forever wiped clean”
There can be times though, when we analyse our wrong-doings more than our forgiveness. God wants us to be Christ conscious, not live with an evil conscience.
Feeling guilty or bad about ourselves stops us drawing close to God, it stops us having confidence in his healing power. It dilutes faith 1 Tim. 1:19.
STEP 2: RECEIVE GOD’S LOVE
You don’t make atonement for your sins, neither do you need to keep on confessing them. Your sins were dealt with once and for all.
It’s so important you and I get this right if we’re to live in the freedom Jesus died to give us and have the confidence we need to believe him for healing.
Remember, it’s never about what you deserve, it’s always about what Jesus deserves. Walking around with an evil conscience devalues the sacrifice of Jesus.
We need to have a greater revelation of the depth of God’s heart torwards us and learn to accept His mercy.
The apostle Paul didn’t feel guilty for murdering a whole load of Christians. He never allowed his past to ruin his future.
He knew the power of redemption; Jesus had taken all his sins and guilt on the cross of Calvary. He understood how to accept God’s gift of no condemnation.
He chose to “let go of what was behind…” and moved forward into his destiny. Wow. God is asking you and I to do the same.
Of course, this is much easier said than done. By working with a counsellor, you can explore possible attachments to the past and use techniques such as graded exposure to help you move forward.
STEP 3: MEDITATE ON SCRIPTURE
So take those verses above and speak them over your life. Think them through, dissect them and speak to God about them. Reading them once will not create lasting change.
See FAITH COMES BY HEARING (THEN HEALING FOLLOWS)
STEP 4: FORGIVE YOURSELF
The more we focus on our past mistakes, the bigger they appear to us.
In a way, we keep their memory alive. Keeping a record of our mistakes is like carrying around a rucksack with rocks in it; it weighs us down, hinders us from moving forward, is bad for our health and stops us living a life of liberty.
if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God
1 John 3:21
The thing is, it’s our choice to carry the heavy load around. You see it’s our hearts that condemn us. (1 John 3:21).
Most people think they have to get rid of all their sin in order for God to heal but this simply isn’t true, you do though, have to know how FORGIVEN you are!
How tragic that there are people who actually take their guilt to their own deathbeds, not realising that Jesus took this burden from us. He took our sins and our guilt to his deathbed!
THAT’S HOW COMPLETELY BEAUTIFUL HE IS
On some level we think we deserve punishment. If we don’t think this consciously, on some level the belief is there. God’s forgiveness towards us is CRAZY! That’s why we make it so complicated.
STEP 5: DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR BODY
The more we stay in our heads, (which is a protective coping strategy), the more we stay in story mode, making the feeling of guilt worse.
When we come back into our bodies, we switch off that ruminating part of our brain and strengthen the part of our brain that needs to know we are safe and that emotions can’t hurt us.
This takes time and practise. We are rewiring the brain
Where in the body is the emotion? Does it have a colour or shape? How can you describe it….?
So how do we just let it go and let God?
Imagine how incredible it would be if we actually believed the truth that we are completely forgiven, that God isn’t angry at us and nor does he want us punished. That we are worthy of healing just as we are.
The next time he does so, make sure you remind him of the most famous verse on guilt:
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1
Have a great day.
Lorna
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