Then came the day of the San Francisco earthquake, and at the precise moment that he slammed the door, the earthquake hit, shaking the ground, breaking the dishes and china cabinet, tilting the house. The child became traumatized. He believed he was guilty for the earthquake, and so he refused to close any doors. Guilt gets overwhelming to the point of shutting us down, making us downhearted. Guilt gets in the way of reason.
Guilt inhibits the joy that is intended for survivors of sin and death.
Guilt inhibits the joy that is meant for those who know a merciful God, a God who went to the extreme of showing mercy through Jesus Christ. When Joel prophesied, there had been a plague of locusts - swarming locusts, hopping locusts, destroying locusts who had devoured the land. Locusts are our ego-centered rebelling moments. Locusts are the isms of this world - racism, sexism, ageism, nationalism, denominationalism,etc. Sometimes we Christians act like isms and sin have hold on us.