Faith Over Guilt: Finding Peace in Your Caregiving Journey

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Do you ever feel weighed down by guilt as a caregiver—second-guessing your choices, comparing yourself to others, or wondering if you’ve done enough? In this heartfelt episode of A Season of Caring Podcast, Rayna Neises gently reminds us that faith and guilt do not belong together.

Guilt shadows many caregivers, whispering that they're not doing enough or that needing rest makes them selfish. This burden weighs heavily on already exhausted hearts, creating distance from the very grace needed most during challenging seasons.

Drawing from Romans 8:1, "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," we explore why faith and guilt don't belong together. When guilt creeps in—whether from losing patience, feeling inadequate, or believing you should somehow do more—it's essential to recognize this isn't God's voice. While conviction gently draws us toward growth, guilt traps us in shame. The key question becomes: "Does this thought bring me closer to God's love or push me farther away?"

Like autumn leaves that must eventually fall, guilt needs release. Caregiving has its seasons—intense periods, waiting times, and eventually seasons of loss. In each one, God provides specific grace for that moment. Rather than dwelling on yesterday's perceived failures or tomorrow's worries, focus on the present where divine grace meets you exactly as you are. I've created a free Fall Seasonal Rest Rhythm mini-series with three guided audio practices to help you pause, breathe, and remember God's presence even in overwhelming moments. These simple tools remind you that you're more than the guilt you carry, and that peace is available in every season. Download this free resource at aseasonofcaring.com/fallrest and take a step toward living with the freedom God intends for you—even in your season of caring.

Episode Transcript

Rayna Neises (00:06):
Welcome to A Season of Caring podcast, where
we share stories of hope forfamily caregivers breaking
through the busyness andloneliness of caregiving to find
God, even in this season.
I'm Rayna Neises, your host,and I'm so glad that you're here
today.
You're going to notice thatit's just my voice that you are
hearing.
That's because I'm stilllooking for podcast guests who

(00:30):
will share their story of hopein their caregiving.
Even if you're still caregiving, I would love to be able to
talk with you about how God hasshown up for you in your season.
All you have to do is reach outto me at my email, at
Rayna@aseasonofcaringcom.
I would love to talk to youabout sharing your story on the

(00:53):
podcast.
All right, so today, with justlittle old me, let's start
talking about the subject that Ireally thought would be helpful
to you.
We're talking about somethingthat I hear so many caregivers
talk about during thiscaregiving season, and that is

(01:14):
guilt.
To be honest with you, I reallydidn't struggle with guilt a
lot during my season of caringfor my dad or even in general
life.
I'm just one of those thingsthat I think I have a little
different perspective on, and Ihope that today I can give you
an insight into that to help youwith caregiver guilt and any

(01:36):
other guilt that you might beexperiencing.
So, as I've listened to so manycaregivers over the years,
guilt it really does come up.
Again and again it can feellike a constant shadow, maybe
the second guessing of everychoice you make, or whispering
that you're not enough, or evenmaking you feel ashamed of

(01:58):
needing to rest or take a break.
Guilt, it's not pretty.
So, even though guilt wasn't mypersonal burden, I want to
spend this episode speaking toit because I know it can weigh
very heavy on you, and I want toremind you of something
important faith and guilt, theyreally don't go together.

(02:21):
So let's rewind a little bithere.
Let's talk a little bit aboutthe different kinds of guilt
that might be creeping up foryou in your caregiving.
I'm not doing enough.
Hmm, definitely guilt.
Probably not true, really.

(02:43):
In fact, I think if you are theone who's having that thought,
odds are good.
It's not true.
Only those that are kind ofcarrying through life not paying
a whole lot of attention areprobably walking by things that
are needs and not payingattention to them.
So really challenge it.
You are doing enough as long asyou are doing your best and

(03:06):
you're asking for the help thatyou need.
You're doing enough.
I lost my patience.
Again, guilt.
Okay, I'm going to say Idefinitely lost my patience in
caring for my dad.
The thing is I didn't allow itto go to guilt because as soon
as it happened, I knew I waswrong and I confessed that and I

(03:28):
asked him to forgive me forthat.
Asked the Lord to forgive mefor that.
But really, patience is tough.
Things are difficult,especially when you're in that
pressure cooker.
Just know there's alwaysforgiveness, confess and ask for
it.
Another guilt that you might beexperiencing is I should be able
to do more, but I just can't.

(03:48):
Guilt, gosh, those shoulds.
They get us in trouble everytime.
Anytime you're saying I should,should, should, should.
You probably need to step backand really pay attention to that
, because I'm not sure who'sputting that on you.
I know for myself.
When the shoulds kick in, it'susually just me.

(04:08):
Everybody else is looking atall that I'm doing and saying
how are you doing at all?
So make sure that you're reallypaying close attention to what
you think you should do.
I want a break, and that makesme selfish.
Guilt, ugh.
Not true either.
There's no reason why a breakshould equal selfishness.

(04:29):
All of us need a break fromtime to time, caregiving or not.
Definitely, while you'recaregiving, you need those
breaks.
So do any of those soundfamiliar?
Guilt it has a way of justcreeping in there when you're
already exhausted.
Especially it takes the littlecracks of our hearts and tries

(04:50):
to wedge them wide open and itreally can bring us down.
So here's the truth that I wantyou to lean into today Faith
and guilt, they don't belongtogether.
Romans 8, 1 tells us there isnow no condemnation for those

(05:11):
who are in Christ Jesus.
That means if you belong toJesus, you are free from shame,
you are free from condemnationand you are free from guilt.
Psalm 103 says as far.
Yes, god sometimes usesconviction.
Actually he does.

(05:40):
He convicts us of our sins.
Right, but conviction and guiltare not the same thing.
Conviction draws us closer toGod and points us to growth and
change.
Guilt, on the other hand, itjust keeps us stuck in shame.

(06:01):
So here's a reflection questionI want you to ask yourself,
especially when you feel guiltyquestion I want you to ask
yourself, especially when youfeel guilty Does this thought
bring me closer to God's love orpush me farther away.
If it pushes you further away,it's not from Him.
So stop and really take thethought captive and be sure that

(06:25):
you are identifying how it'simpacting you.
So let's think about seasons,since we're getting ready to
come into the fall and where Ilive, the leaves are just
starting to have a little colorchange.
I thought it might be good toput it in this perspective.
Fall reminds us that leaveshave to drop.
They cannot cling on forever.

(06:47):
In some ways, guilt is the sameway.
It needs to be let go.
It just needs to fall away.
Caregiving itself has seasonsSeasons of intensity, seasons of
waiting and seasons of loss.
In each season, god gives gracefor what's in front of you, for

(07:09):
where you are right now.
Don't spend too much timelooking ahead and borrowing
trouble.
Focus on here.
This is where the grace is.
So, to experience thispractically, I created a brand
new free resource for you.
It's a three-part fall seasonalrest rhythm mini audio series.

(07:31):
That's long, isn't it?
Let me tell you about each oneof the audios that are just
short and simple in this miniaudio series.
So the first one is stillnessbreath.
It's a guided practice to helpyou pause and breathe when your
day feels overwhelming.

(07:52):
The second one is warmth pauseit's a cozy invitation to rest
in the middle of your season, tobe reminded that you don't have
to keep pushing without a break.
And the third one is harvestgratitude a gentle rhythm to

(08:13):
help you notice and name God'sgoodness even in the hard places
.
These are three simple audiopauses for you to take with you
wherever you are, reminders thatyou are more than the guilt
that you carry and that God'spresence brings peace, even in

(08:36):
this season.
You'll find the link to thisfree mini-series in the show
notes page at www.
aseasonofcaring.
com/fallrest.
Fallrest.
] Now, why does this matter?
Here's why it's important.
Guilt keeps you from joy, itkeeps you from seeing yourself

(09:00):
the way that God sees you, andit steals the very energy that
you need for your caregiving youin this season to condemn you.
He placed you here to love youthrough it and to love you right
in the middle of it.
Caregiving will stretch you,that is for sure, but it would

(09:25):
it should never crush you underguilt.
So today, as we are looking atguilt and caregiving and all of
these things, let's recap whatwe've learned.
There are many forms ofcaregiver guilts and the truth
that faith and guilt reallydon't belong together.

(09:47):
Remember when you are feelingguilt, give them over to the
Lord and ask forthe truth.
talked about how seasonalrhythms of grace can help you to
release that guilt and rest inGod's presence.
Friend, if guilt is weighingyou down, I want to encourage

(10:07):
you.
God never intended for you tocarry it.
He invites you to live free.
God never intended for you tocarry it.
He invites you to live free.
And if you'd like practical nextsteps, don't forget to download
the fall seasonal rest rhythmaudio mini series.
It's my gift to you and Ibelieve it will help you breathe
a little deeper, rest a littlemore and remember you're not

(10:32):
alone.
Rest a little more and rememberyou're not alone.
You can get that on the showwww.
ASeasonofCaring.
com/podcast or at ww.
w.
aseasonofcaring.
com/fallrest fall rest.
So let me leave you with thisblessing from " Jude 24.
Now to him, who is able to keepyou from stumbling and to

(10:56):
present you before his gloriouspresence without fault and with
great joy.
You are loved, forgiven andfree.
Step into that freedom todayand kick guilt to the curb.
Thank you for joining me todayfor a Season of Caring podcast
where we share stories of hopeto help us to live content, love
well and care without regrets.

(11:17):
If you have financial, medicalor legal questions, be sure to
connect with your localprofessionals and take heart in
your Season of Caring.