Today’s topic is something that most of us are familiar with, we have lived it, struggle with it and even overcame it. Shame. What comes into my mind when I think of shame is fear of being judged or condemned for being vulnerable. Exposing something within you that has the potential to break you.
Humans, including myself have a terrible track record of dealing with shame… We want to hide it, forget it, stack it up somewhere and just not open that box ever or even just ignore it. One thing I have learned in my lifetime is that there’s power in opening up about something that you actually feel ashamed about. It frees you from the shackles of the devious deed. All other methods have never worked out for me.
Shame is defined as a painful feeling filled with guilt of doing something wrong. The bible describes it as the feeling of disgrace or confounded that arises from sin. It results from not living according to God’s glorious moral standard. Shame emphasizes the effect of sin on our identity.
In Genesis chapter 3, when man sinned against God, his first instinct was to hide from God. Shame makes us hide from God. It stresses on our inability to live according to God’s standard. And our first instinct when we are wrong is to run and hide. When you dissect that piece of scripture in Genesis, you realize that the all knowing God, being aware of their disobedience still came to the garden, at his normal time to be with them only to find them hiding from him.
Shame drives us to the defensive side. There’s a statement I like to use; when things go south after you make a decision about something, it is easier to blame anybody else than to look within and acknowledge the wrong that you’ve done. When God asked Adam why he ate the fruit his first response was to blame the woman God gave him and the woman blamed the serpent…. I’d like you to imagine something… What If Adam actually owned up to his mistake? I believe the story could have taken a different toll.
Shame opens the door to a whole lot of dark things that could be avoided if we just surrendered our faults and insecurities to Jesus and took responsibility for our actions. I love what Romans 8:1 says… Towards the end of chapter 7 Paul was somehow complaining, like we all do, “this right thing I am supposed to do I don’t do but what I am not supposed to do I do. It is the sin in me that makes me do the wrong thing.” (This is paraphrased). He goes ahead to describe this power within him that causes him to sin. A lot is said in that chapter, but verse 8 shines like the morning sun, there’s no condemnation in those that are in Christ Jesus. Meaning that shame you carry he already nailed it, and now that you’ve come to him, you have no need to live in it…
You cannot save yourself from shame and guilt. All these mantras and affirmations available won’t take it away. It’s only Jesus that can. He says in his word that he made a spectacle of his enemies, he repeats severally in his word, that anyone that puts their trust in him will NEVER be put to shame. I love what David says in psalms 31:17; Don’t let me be put to shame, O Lord for I have called upon thee. If you call upon him you won’t be put to shame.
Whether you are saved or not, you are his child. Whether you caused the shame or it was inflicted on you by others, remember Jesus will never judge you or put you to shame. You are not his enemy, he desires that you be reconciled to him. Call on him today, ask him to change your life and he will. He is an amazing friend and father he’ll protect you.
If the shame you carry now was as a result of a traumatic experience. I feel for you, I am so sorry… It’s truly a broken and fallen world. It’s not your fault, no matter what the enemy tries to tell you. You can rise above anything, you are a child of the King. He loves you. Surrender it to him and watch him make a spectacle of your enemies ( not people though). Forgive those that hurt you and allow the Lord to penetrate the deepest parts of your heart. He’ll give you peace to navigate through anything.
God did not design us to lead with shame or guilt of what we have done or others have done to us. Jesus has given us power over everything. He says in Matthew 28 that all power has been given to him and he has given it to us. You can overcome it and you will. Just look up to Jesus who is not ashamed to call us his own. If Jesus became flesh and blood just so he could reconnect us to his dad, how are we living defeated by shame?. We are co heirs with Christ we sit with him in high places.
Finally, surrender, forgive, allow Jesus to heal the parts of you that carry shame. Don’t forget he loves you unconditionally forever. Stay blessed and unashamed…
Perfectly Imperfect❤ 