“Any fun trips planned this year?”
The question scoots around our family gatherings, outings with friends, and the office Keurig. We hope to “o-o-h and a-h-h” our listeners with fascinating details.
Trips. A planned or spontaneous travel schedule. Favorite vacation spots. Places familiar or unknown. Traveling abroad. A voyage by sea. Guided tours. Historical landmarks. The mountains. A natural wonder. The beach. Tropical climates. Soaring altitudes.
Resorts for sight seekers, adventure junkies, and tourists of all shapes and sizes. Crossing out a bucket list item—going somewhere you’ve never visited. Even people are labeled trips.
Whatever the mode of transportation. Whether a one-way-trip or round-trip. Short or extended stay. It’s movement toward a point of destination. A journey for recreation, relaxation, and getaways—a means to escape.
Worst Trips Ever
But sometimes we go on trips and land somewhere we’d rather not visit. The worst trips ever.
Guilt trips qualify. Guilt trips make us painfully aware of being stuck in an unwanted place. We feel it deep inside. A restless, unsettled state of wishing we were home—back to familiar surroundings. A safe place.
Maybe, like me, you navigate your way to a guilt trip often. A well-acquainted road…clearly marked. A recent destination on our GPS-Global Positioning System. Guilt tracks the route to position us in the same place each time—shame, disgrace, dishonor, and self-condemnation.
Acting as travel agents we make arrangements for others to go on guilt trips and allow others to take us there. Family, friends, co-workers, and ministry leaders each fall in the “others” category.
Tripping we pray doesn’t turn into a long pilgrimage to pay homage to the person causing the trip. Stowaways, manipulation, and control, come along for the ride.
We even send ourselves off to this undesired port of call as if part of an itinerary. Bidding a farewell less than celebratory.
Throughout our lives, attempts will be made to book us on a guilt trip. But it’s a trip we don’t have to take.
A Do-not Checklist for Guilt Trips
- Do not accept the invitation.
- Do not schedule it on your calendar.
- Do not secure a passport.
- Do not confirm reservations.
- Do not pack your bags.
And…it is absolutely vital you discard any carry-on luggage. Stow nothing in guilt’s passenger compartment. Guilt always meets customer service standards, “Your baggage fits perfectly here for safekeeping and easy retrieval when you arrive at your destination.”
All-inclusive Spiritual Resort
For years—on a regular basis—I checked into The Guilt & Shame Inn. Although you may see me there on occasion, I’m no longer a frequent guest.
Today you will find me as a guest in Freedom’s Motel. God is the owner. He (alone) books and confirms reservations. And God cancels reservations on present and future guilt trips.
Through Christ, we have our HPS-Heavenly Positioning System. A navigation system set in motion simply by answering His call, “Follow Me.” Here we are positioned for forgiveness, blessing, honor, and grace. A place of spiritual cleansing and freedom.
So let’s take a pilgrimage to the Promised Land. An all-inclusive spiritual resort with pre-paid accommodations lasting forever. There’s an eternal feast at God’s banquet table. Bask in The Son and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. There are no farewells and we will give worshipful homage to the only sacred, deserving One. God.
“I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me” (Jeremiah 33:8 ESV). “…offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3b AMP).
Hi, readers! I hope you enjoyed this guest post by my talented friend Karen Friday. Here’s more about her:
Karen Friday is a pastor’s wife passionate about the local church, women’s ministry, speaking, and sacred callings. Known as Girl Friday in the writing and blogging world, she founded the award-winning, online community, Hope is Among Us at Karen Girl Friday. Karen is also an award-winning author who has published devotions and articles, contributed to several anthologies and a devotional, Dear Wife: 10 Minute Invitations to Practice Connection with Your Husband. She writes monthly for A Wife Like Me and Inspire a Fire while working on her first non-fiction book. The Friday clan includes two grown children and two grandchildren. The entire family is fond of the expression, “TGIF: Thank God it’s Friday.” They owe Monday an apology. Connect with Karen on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook & Pinterest.
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Loved this post because e enjoy travel.
The guilt trip is the worst and I loved the uncheck list from guilt —
Do not accept the invitation.
Do not schedule it on your calendar.
Do not secure a passport.
Do not confirm reservations.
Do not pack your bags.
Clever — Del
I agree, Del. Thanks for your comment.
Thank you, Del. So thankful guilt trips are trips we don’t have to take. Because the Lord positions us for forgiveness, blessing, honor, and grace. A place of spiritual cleansing and freedom.
It’s a trip I have to remember to cancel every so often. It’s hard not to let life suck us into being shamed by our failures instead of embracing the freedom Christ has given us! Great reminder.
I was also reminded by this post. I’m so glad you enjoyed reading Karen’s wonderful message.
Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment.
Amen! Christ cancels present and future guilt trips. So let’s take a pilgrimage to the Promised Land. An all-inclusive spiritual resort with pre-paid accommodations lasting forever.
Thanks for having me as your guest, Beckie. And grateful I no longer frequent The Guilt & Shame Inn very often. Instead, I’m a more consistent guest at Freedom’s Motel.
I remain amazed at how easy it can be to reach our “guilt trip” destinations. Great tips to recognize and reroute the journey, Thank you for sharing ladies, God’s blessings.
Yes, J.D. “reroute the journey.” I’m so thankful for God’s promise of freedom from guilt. “I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me” (Jeremiah 33:8 ESV). “…offering Himself accomplished our cleansing of sins and riddance of guilt, He sat down at the right hand of the divine Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3b AMP).
Thanks for commenting.
Not making any reservations for a guilt trip, Karen, but I’ll take God up on reservations to stay in His heavenly courts any day of the week! Great post, my friend.
Blessings!
Martha, your reply seemed to be under general comments and not to you directly. Thank you. Yes, a frequent guest in His heavenly courts sounds divine! Blessings!
I love the heavenly positioning system to replace the guilt one. The needle in our minds seems to default to guilt unless we recalculate and go toward Christ.
Hey Barbara, we do seem to default to guilt. I’m so glad through Christ, we have our HPS-Heavenly Positioning System. A navigation system set in motion simply by answering His call, “Follow Me.” Here we are positioned for forgiveness, blessing, honor, and grace. A place of spiritual cleansing and freedom.
Thank you, Martha. Yes, a frequent guest in His heavenly courts sounds divine! Blessings!
I chuckled at your tongue-in-cheek phrases scattered throughout the article, but I especially loved this paragraph: “Through Christ, we have our HPS-Heavenly Positioning System. A navigation system set in motion simply by answering His call, “Follow Me.” Here we are positioned for forgiveness, blessing, honor, and grace. A place of spiritual cleansing and freedom.”
Thank you, Julie. I’m so glad we are positioned in Christ for freedom from guilt and the dreaded guilt trip! The Lord has cleansed us from all guilt and sin!
I used to travel a lot when I was younger!!
I have been to Jamaica / Mexico / South America / Hawaii / Tahiti / and most of the United States of America!! I would love too see Alaska someday!!
Please Pray for our Judeo-Christian Nation United States of America and Israel-Yisrael and our Christian Earth Everyday!! “Pray Without Ceasing.” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17 KJV )!!
Our ONE True GOD’S LOVE 💕💜 is ETERNAL THROUGH HIS SON Christ-MESSIAH Jesus-Yeshua for Today and Everyday Forevermore Everyone!!
I Love you all Everyone through Christ-MESSIAH Jesus-Yeshua, because HE LOVED 💕💘💜 EVERYONE FIRST!!
Love Always and Shalom ( Peace), YSIC \o/
Kristi Ann
Hi Kristi Ann, you sure have done your share of traveling to places. That is awesome. Just remember not to travel toward guilt trips. They are always the worst trips ever! We celebrate our freedom in Christ!
Amen-Amein Sister in Christ-Messiah Jesus-Yeshua Karen!!
Love Always, YSIC \o/
Kristi
This is a great post. I love the do-not checklist. Thank you for this insightful reminder, Karen and Beckie.
Appreciate your encouraging comment, Joshua. Yes, let’s keep that do-not checklist in mind. And let’s be intentional to discard any carry-on luggage. Guilt specializes in baggage…hoping we keep carrying the burden of failure and shame with us. But it only bogs us down in life and we never walk in total freedom. Thank God, He never intended guilt trips as part of life’s itinerary.
Loved this post! I identify with having frequented the Guilt & Shame Inn way too often but have deleted it from my list of favorite places to stay. Thank you, Karen, for your creativity in sharing ways of how not to invite guilt and shame to travel along.