God and Me: Devotions from Time of GraceSample

God and My Shame

A phrase you don't hear much anymore is "Shame on you!" But that doesn't mean that the concept of shame has disappeared.

I doubt if there are any people of retirement age who can't look back at parts of their lives with great embarrassment. I doubt if there are any families who haven't been shamed at some time or another by the actions of one or two in the clan. Everybody in prison has a family. Everyone expelled from school, fired from a job, or suffering bankruptcy feels shame, and those around them feel it too.

The worst part of shame is that it lasts. The memories just won't go away by themselves. Here is another great reason why the gospel of Christ is so important--it doesn't selectively delete memories from your mind, but it enables you to live peacefully and joyfully even with memories of past shame. "O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins" (Psalm 130:7,8).

The Lord's unfailing love means that he knows who you are and what you've done and loves you anyway. He knows your pile of regrets and assures you that his grace is even bigger. If he forgives you, you can forgive yourself. If he likes you, you can like yourself again. Your image before him has no shame, no regrets, only holiness. Forgiven fully, you shine like a star.