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我们应该为自己的罪懊悔多久呢？如果让懊悔太快过去，是否就表明我们并没有真正地为罪感到愧疚？我们是否因此而亏欠神或亏欠了我们所得罪的一些人？反之，如果我们陷在愧疚里太久，这是否意味着我们对神赦罪的大能没有足够的信心？

内疚是很难克服的。这种感觉有可能持续很长时间。或许这也是我们应当面对的。所有的罪其实都冒犯了神，即便其中有些罪也冒犯了人，但是，神的反应和人的反应完全不同。神本可以要求我们沉浸在自己的悲伤中。但这并不是祂的本性。神爱我们，当我们想与祂重修美好关系时，祂会喜乐满怀。事实上，我们若为自己的罪忏悔，神就大有喜乐，祂的喜乐会带给我们足够的力量来饶恕自己。

尼希米敦促人们来体验这种喜悦。他举办宴会，好使人们享受美食，并与人分享。这并不只是面子工程，而是要藉此使人们意识到，神透过律法要与我们建立一种美好关系。对神而言，如果我们不再远离祂，而是开始寻求祂，那会成为祂极大的喜乐。

How long should we feel sorry for our sins? If we move on too fast, does that show we aren’t really sorry? Are we doing some injustice to God or to others we have sinned against? Or, if we hold on to being sorry too long, does that mean we do not trust enough in God’s power to forgive?

Guilt can be hard to get over. The feelings can last a long time. And perhaps that’s what we deserve. But since all sins are against God, even when a sin is also against others, God’s situation is totally opposite to ours. He could demand that we wallow in our sorrow. But that’s not who God is. God loves us and is overjoyed when we want to be in a good relationship with him again. In fact, God has so much joy when we repent of our sin that his joy provides the strength we need to forgive ourselves.

Nehemiah urged the people to experience that joy. He called for a feast so that the people could enjoy fine foods and drinks and share with others. This wasn’t about just going through motions，it was about recognizing that God’s law calls for a relationship with us. And as far as God is concerned, if we are ready to stop moving away from him and start moving toward him, that brings him the most joy.