The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon

“Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your refuge.”

—Nehemiah 8:10

Nehemiah said this after Ezra read from the law to the people as they wept and mourned, realizing they had abandoned God’s ways.

This is a wonderful reminder that when we are grieved and fearful because of our sin, ruminating in guilt or shame is not where we will find safety. We find it in our joy in him and his continual faithfulness to forgive when we confess and turn away from our sins (1 John 1:9).

2 Corinthians 7:10 says, “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death.” 

Godly grief and fear will lead to repentance and refuge, not despair and regret.

If we dwell on the guilt and shame, we’re still focusing on ourselves rather than on Christ.

The goal is to take our eyes off ourselves and our weakness altogether and put them on Christ and his salvation—the only true place we will find joy, healing, and redemption.

We need the joy of the Lord in order to remain obedient; we must understand his steadfast love and great mercy and believe that he wants what is good for us.

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15), but if we doubt his heart and goodness toward us, we won’t trust him or his commandments or his love, and we will stray from his ways once more. 

Let’s replace our guilt and shame with joy in the Lord; that is where we find our refuge and strength.

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