If you’re a follower of Jesus, joy should be a way of life.

Why? You’ve been completely forgiven—no guilt, no shame, no remorse, and no regrets. God has wiped them all out.

Sounds like a good reason for joy to me.

The Bible says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NIV).

The word “no” in the original Greek is the strongest possible negative in the Greek. It’s as if God was saying, “No, no, no — not in a thousand years, not in a million years, not a chance in your lifetime.”

That’s important because one of the biggest reasons people lose their joy is guilt. Guilt and shame have the power to steal your joy.

All of us make mistakes. We have legitimate reasons to feel regret and guilt. But God doesn’t want us to live in constant self-condemnation, constantly telling ourselves, “I should be better,” “I should be different,” etc.

How does God want you to handle your guilt? By coming clean and confessing your wrong. Go to God and say, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” And then he’ll wipe away your sin.

That’s why Jesus Christ died on the cross! And he didn’t just die for the sins you’ve already committed. He died for the ones you haven’t even committed yet. They’re all covered under the cross.

Jesus took your condemnation. That’s why he died. Your sins have been paid for. You don’t have to pay for them again.

That’s salvation, and it’s your most important reason for joy. It’s the joy of a clear conscience.