The Shame Game

If you’ve ever visited the doctor while in physical pain, the first thing he/she will do before treating your symptoms is identify the source. Because in order to tackle the problem, you must identify the root. When it comes to our emotional and mental pain, the same is true. Shame is the underlying catalyst for the pain we feel. So how can we recognize shame’s tactics and move toward freedom?

Expose the falsehoods! When you have the Word in your heart, His truth will be your source of information and reference. You won’t be so easily fooled by shame’s misguiding lies because you’ll have the truth as a guidepost on your path. God loved you and me at our darkest hour and went to the greatest lengths to override sin and shame!

Shame is one of the enemy’s sneakiest tactics, because, in part, its message is true—we have fallen short and do not deserve a do-over. Shame tells you that your sins and mistakes are far worse than everyone else’s, and you’re damaged goods. But what shame fails to remember is that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8).

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He presented Himself for sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. Not one of us is righteous on our own—not one. Not even the apostle Peter, the martyr James, or your sweet grandma who’s an angel on earth. Paul makes this point by saying, “For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are” (Rom. 3:20).

God’s been in the redemption business for quite some time now. He’s turned murderers into miracle workers and harlots into heroines. Every once broken person came to realize they’d fallen short, and likely felt the same wave of shame we’ve dealt with, but they were freed and transformed through their repentance. How’d they do it? They turned from who they’d been and what they’d done, by bringing it all to the light.

Shame works best under the cover of darkness because sin loves separation and secrecy. But Christ asks us to illuminate the areas we’ve hidden, not to bring shame, but to bring freedom. He gave His only Son, the highest form of payment, in exchange for us to walk freely. His light doesn’t bash us, it benefits us.

Ask yourself: What have I hidden or not fully released to God? What areas of my past (or present) are making me feel less than or lonely? Bring these areas to the cleansing light of the Father. Watch as He remedies the shame from your life.