Young Ethan couldn’t contain his eagerness. He had always cherished his visits to his grandparents’ farmhouse in the countryside and was finally going to be spending a whole week there for the holidays! The place was always teeming with life and full of adventure.
One afternoon, Grandpa came out of his workshop with a satisfied grin on his face. He handed a small handmade slingshot to Ethan and said, “I used to carry one like that around when I was your age. Never missed a shot.” With a wink he added, “Why don’t you go explore the woods and practice your aim boy.”
Ethan couldn’t contain his excitement! He thanked his grandpa loudly and eagerly ran off to master his new tool. But he soon realized it wasn’t all that easy. In fact, no matter how hard he tried, his shots rarely seemed to meet their mark.
With growing frustration and after a long fruitless afternoon, he began to wander back with his heart heavy in defeat. That’s when he a watering can on the ground and paused to take aim. “Just one more try he thought” as he released the sling with a gusto.
And that’s when he saw her – Grandma’s beloved white rabbit suddenly darted across! The rock soared through the air, striking the rabbit in the head. In an instant the rabbit collapsed. Dead.
Ethan stood frozen, horrified by what he had done. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at the lifeless body of the rabbit. His heart pounded in his chest and in his panic, he rushed to hide the evidence, hastily shoving the rabbit’s body beneath a pile of hay in the barn.
Just as he finished, he looked up and saw his sister, Emma, standing in the doorway. She had witnessed everything but said nothing. Merely gave him a cunning “I know what you did” smirk.
The next morning, after breakfast, Grandma called out, “Emma, would you help me clean the kitchen?” Emma smiled sweetly and replied, “Actually, Grandma, Ethan said he’d love to help.” Then she turned to him with a mischievous glint in her eye and whispered, “Remember the rabbit?”
Ethan’s stomach churned with guilt, but he nodded and took Emma’s place in the kitchen.
Later that day, Grandpa invited the children to go fishing by the lake. Ethan scrambled to grab his hat, but before he could leave, Grandma said, “Sorry, Emma, I need your help making supper.”
Emma grinned. “It’s fine, Grandma. Ethan said he’d help you instead.” Then in a voice only he could hear, she added with a smirk, “Remember the rabbit?”
So once again, Ethan stayed behind. Burdened by the weight of his secret, as Emma went off to enjoy the day by the lake.
This pattern continued for days. Emma had made him her servant, and Ethan felt trapped—enslaved by his own guilt. Each time she whispered, “Remember the rabbit?” he was reminded of the dark secret he carried alone.
Finally after days of silent torment, Ethan couldn’t bear it anymore. With tears streaming down his face, he ran to his grandmother and sobbed, “Grandma, it was an accident, but I accidentally killed your rabbit. I’m so sorry.”
Grandma’s eyes softened and she knelt down to pulled him into her arms. “Oh, sweetheart,” she whispered gently, “I know. I was standing at the window that day. I saw everything.”
Ethan gasped, too stunned to speak.
“But because I love you,” Grandma continued, stroking his hair, “I forgave you. I’ve been waiting to see how long you’d let Emma hold this over you.”
Ethan’s tears fell faster now, a mixture of relief and sorrow. “I’m so sorry,” he repeated, his voice shaky.
Grandma smiled, wiping away his tears. “It’s all right, my love. Guilt is a heavy burden to carry. But remember, no matter what you’ve done, my love—and God’s love—will always be there to forgive you. Don’t let guilt keep you in chains.”
“The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”
– Psalm 103:8-1
The Burden of Guilt Weighs Heavily On The Soul
Have you ever carried a burden so heavy that it feels like it’s weighing down your soul? Maybe it’s a mistake from the past that keeps resurfacing in your mind, or perhaps it’s something you wish you could undo but can’t. Like young Ethan in our story, we often find ourselves shackled by guilt, haunted by something we have done or failed to do.
Ethan’s excitement to visit his grandparents’ farmhouse quickly turned into a nightmare when an innocent attempt to practice his aim with a slingshot resulted in the death of his grandmother’s beloved rabbit. Each time his sister used his guilt to manipulate him, he also felt the weight of his sin grow heavier.
How often do we find ourselves in similar situations? We make a mistake, hide it, and instead of seeking forgiveness, we allow guilt to consume us. We may even let others or our own inner voice blackmail us with reminders of what we did wrong. The more we try to cover it up the heavier the burden becomes, and the harder it is to find peace.
But here’s the powerful truth: God sees everything, just as Ethan’s grandmother had witnessed the entire incident. She knew what he had done, yet she chose to forgive him long before he came to her in tears. This mirrors God’s unfailing love and readiness to forgive us. When Ethan finally confessed, he found not punishment but grace. His grandmother, like God, was not interested in holding his sin against him but was waiting for him to unburden his heart and be freed from the chains of guilt.
This story reminds us that guilt and shame are not meant to imprison us. As 1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” God knows the mistakes we’ve made, but He also knows our hearts and His love is greater than our sins. All He asks is that we come to Him, acknowledge our wrongdoing, and trust in His mercy.
