Moving Beyond Shame

Psalm 32:7

I have chills running down my spine!  I am currently doing Jennie Allen's Chase Study with my Bible Study at church.  The chapter that we completed and discussed this week was Repentance.  The Psalm that we studied was Psalm 32.  The main take away was that there is freedom in repentance and until you repent, you will feel either shame or pride.  This chapter, and especially this Psalm really resonated with me.  God's "unfailing love" is such a gift.  My sin, no matter what it is, is covered by the blood of my Savior.

And what do you think my pastor talked about last weekend?  THE CROSS!  We are a hot mess, living in darkness, without Jesus.  But once he took on our sin and our shame, It Was Finished (I am writing more on this closer to Easter because it was so good!)

Each morning I read through two online devotions: IF:Equip and She Reads Truth.  I could hardly believe when I opened up She Reads Truth and the Scripture passage was Psalm 32:1-7!  I have been very reflective this first week of Lent - and today I feel heavy.  My prayer today is that I would lay my whole self down in confession before Him in an act of intimacy and a rejection of shame (Prayer from She Reads Truth).

Satan loves when we stay in the dark and secret places.  That is where he can whisper his lies to us - "you're not good enough," "God won't forgive you or love you," "your friends won't understand...they will abandon you," "keep quiet...keep hiding...keep running..."  He lies and lies and lies and we believe him.  And we hide and we run because we are scared.  And Satan's grip tightens and his hold becomes stronger.  And then we are captive to him - are are a slave to his lies - we are not free.  We forget the the One who came to set us free.  We forget The Truth that sets us free (see IF:Equip John 8:31-59).

Digging out of this pit is like digging up concrete (Jennie Allen, Chase), but it's necessary and it's worth it.  Because shame will consume you, making you sick, physically and/or emotionally.  We become buried by the weight of our sin and our shame.

So now what?

Confession: admitting what we did.
Repentance: turning away from our sin and looking towards God.
Forgiveness: receiving God's mercy and grace, recognizing that you are once again washed white as snow (Isaiah 1:18).

"Christ has already broken the bond between sin and your heart.  He has declared you free and clear, pardoned by the Highest King.  Do not let you shame chain you again to your past sins.  Be intimately bonded to Christ instead, the Hope of Glory." (She Reads Truth)

If you are running or hiding in shame, please stop.  Turn and face your Savior.  Tell Him what happened and ask for forgiveness.  Then you can dwell in His Hiding Place.

"What God has pardoned, let Satan not re-condemn."

She Reads Truth