For the Lord God helps Me, Therefore, I am not disgraced; Therefore, I have set My face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed. - Isaiah 50:7 (NASB)
Have you ever had anything in your past, or present, that you’ve never spoken a word of to anyone? Maybe shame kept you from divulging the truth because of what others would think? This prompted me to look up the meaning of ‘shame’ and according to The American Heritage Dictionary, shame is described as; a painful emotion caused by the awareness of having done something wrong or a foolish or a negative emotional state, usually originating in childhood, marked by chronic self-reproach and a sense of personal failure. Maybe your feelings of shame come from a choice that others have made, and you are carrying the weight from their actions or words.
Have you ever had someone tell you something about themselves and hearing their words brought you relief because you could relate to their life?
The bible is full of stories about the lives of others who carried shame for different reasons. Some may recall reading that King Solomon was conceived in sin, King David desired Bathsheba then arranged to have her husband killed. Adam and Eve ate fruit that was forbidden by God and the woman at the well who had been married five times and was living with a man who was not her husband. Their stories are no longer hidden, and we can see how they felt and how they suffered because of shame.
King David was miserable hiding his shame, Adam and Eve hid from God then blame shifted. Once confronted by Jesus about her life the woman at the well was amazed that He knew all about her and that He would speak to her. Once she received His truth, she was set free, and the shame lagged behind as she ran to tell others about Jesus.
King David was confronted by Nathan and once the truth was exposed David was free. When God sought Adam and Eve and found them hiding, He made coverings for them.
God was there for all of them. He pursued them in their shame.
I don’t believe shame is something God wants us to hold onto but to release it to Him. He is there waiting for us to give it up and to use His freedom in our story to share with others of how He came to set the captives free and He can reign in our open heart instead of shame in an isolated tomb.
Reference reading: 2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51:5; Genesis 3:8; John 4:1-26
Heavenly Father, You are glorious, You are righteous and we are grateful You purge our hearts to be cleansed before You. You bring comfort to us when we don’t feel deserving, may we bring comfort to others who may be in need. Open our eyes and hearts to see who may need to hear our story that leads to Your forgiveness and redemption and a relationship with You.
This devotion by author, Terrie Miles, is exclusively and solely shared with permission to New Beginnings Church. Any unauthorized printed reproduction, sharing or use of this material is prohibited.
