FEELINGS: SHAME

 

By: Pastor Dingdong Gamalinda

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“As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.’ For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” — Romans 10:11-13

 

“‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.’” — Isaiah 1:18

Unpacking Guilt

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 8:1

Unpacking Shame

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

Overcoming Shame and Guilt

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” — 1 John 1:9

 

Overcoming shame and guilt is possible with Christ’s help. He has paid the price for our sins, even the worst sins that cause us to feel guilt and shame. 1 John 1:9 says when we confess our sins, he forgives us and purifies us. This means we do not need to let shame and guilt control us. Rather, we can embrace forgiveness and our identity and worth in Christ.

Here are a few helpful tools we have in the battle against shame and guilt:

• Prayer: When we are stuck in the cycle of guilt and shame, we can go to God in prayer. He can provide us with peace that we cannot attain on our own. Even when we do not see it, He is at work in our lives.
• God’s Word: If we are struggling to have confidence in the forgiveness we have been given, we can turn to Scripture and read the many passages God’s Word has about salvation, forgiveness and assurance.
• Other People: We may also want to seek outside counsel, such as a loved one, mentor, mental health professional, etc., if we need wisdom on how to reduce toxic shame or guilt and change any destructive behaviors we may have.
• Dwelling on Truth: Philippians 4:8 tells us to think about things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy. We can choose to dwell on what we know is true, such as God tells us about our value in the Bible. We may also want to reduce things around us that invoke feelings of shame. For example, taking time off social media or switching up our routine can be beneficial.

Change of Heart

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” — Psalm 51:10