Each of us knows the sickening feeling of guilt over our sins. It isn’t pleasant, and sometimes it comes unannounced. Yet, we also know it was by recognizing our smothering guilt that we confessed our sins and trusted in Christ for salvation. Is this guilty feeling good, even though it feels so bad? What do we do with our guilty consciences?

“If only I had [fill in the blank], then I could obey God better”? If only I had more time, friends who were more present, family members who weren’t so trying, a pet that wasn’t so needy, improved health, or the like roll through our minds. We forget that sin permeates all of our lives, not just where we’re lacking.

Is that how you would define productivity? I can think of many other ways I would have previously defined productivity: accomplishing many tasks with ease, an organized way of using one’s time, effectively attacking your to-do list. But each of those definitions is that they are void of God and others and instead filled with self. We need a God-glorifying definition.