Women's Focus Ministries: Sunday Writing... 3-31-19... "GIVING UP SHAME"

Good morning!

Continuing our series on giving things up for Lent, today we read about "GIVING UP SHAME" in our devotional. It talks about guilt and shame, and how the two differ. Let us all give up shame so that we may shine in God's radiance!

Blessings,
Jan

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Today's Devotional:

"GIVING UP SHAME"

Jan Andersen

If you’ve ever owned a dog, you know the look of guilt when you say, “What have you done?!” Even if the dog has no idea what you are talking about, your tone of voice and stern look is enough to make the head sink, the tail tuck, and the whole body cower. The dog’s big sad eyes roll upward from the downturned head and droopy eyelids as if to say, “I’m sorry. Love me?!”

Guilt and shame began in the Garden of Eden after Adam and Eve had eaten of the forbidden fruit, when God asked “Where are you?” Adam answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Then after Adam felt shame and blamed the woman God gave him, God went to her and said, “What is this you have done?” Guilt and shame were not a part of the perfect garden, before the fall into sin. But ever since then, we have all been born into this human sinful form.

There is nothing new under the sun when it comes to doing wrong things. We are all defective, guilty of sinful lives. But God freely gives us forgiveness, no matter what we have done, how big and wrong it may seem, or how often we return to it. We can rest assured that God has forgiven us of anything and everything we have ever done and repented of. Repentance means not only do we feel the weight of guilt and are sorry for what we have done, but also that we commit to turning around and moving away from it. We lay down our burden of guilt at the foot of the cross and let Him lift the weight off our shoulders.

Though we are all guilty of sin, that does not mean we need to become stuck in shame. Guilt is the fact of having committed the offense. Shame is labelling ourselves or others as unworthy because of the offense. Shame is painful and deprecating. If we “unpack our bags and stay” in shame, it can lead to self-loathing, poor self-esteem and depression. This was not the intention of our Lord when he bore our sins on the cross for our forgiveness.

There are also other types of shame that we sometimes experience. Misplaced shame can be based on others’ actions against us, as in abuse or rape. Or shame can result from one group’s mistreatment of another group that is different from them, like ethnic self-hatred based on years of repression. Shaming is not what God desires in any circumstance. He only intends loving forgiveness and lives turned around.

Instead of shame we can be like our lovable dogs. Once we tell them, “It’s ok. I forgive you!” they perk up, wag their tails and move on with their day, things like eating, sleeping, and other important stuff! So lets “give up shame” for the rest of Lent… and beyond! Let us accept God’s forgiveness as He helps us turn our lives around and we lift up our faces to him!

Psalm 34:5 NIV Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

Dear God, thank you for forgiving us and canceling our debt, assuaging our guilt and stopping our shame. Help us to not pick that burden back up again once we have laid it at the cross. Help us give up shaming and instead bring you glory by rejoicing in your forgiveness. In the name of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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Song:

COME AS YOU ARE

Crowder