Free from Shame

Even after I committed to make different choices and follow God’s path, my past still played like a movie reel in my mind. I was still lugging around a bag of my shameful experiences which influenced how I carried myself, saw myself, and how I thought others saw me. I felt this heavy burden very tangibly. I realized that Jesus had made a way to take this from me and I handed it over to Him. That weight was gone!

I had also realized that there was one area of myself where I yet felt unloved by God. This was the area of my heart where I had stored the shameful moments of my life. I had been terrified to see how He felt about me then, so I hid this part from Him for years. Shame had kept me from opening this part of me to Him - in fact, I thought He didn’t want to come into this ‘room’. I came to the point where I needed to know His love for every single part of me - both present and past. When I opened the door to that room for Him, I was blown away to see the indescribable depth of His love for me even there, even in the midst of my sin. His love filled that room completely, leaving no shadow of shame behind.

Talk with Jesus

As you read today’s verses, bring these questions to Jesus and talk with Him about them.

• Am I still carrying around baggage from my past? What’s in that baggage?
• What are You asking me to do with this baggage? What are You giving me to carry instead?
• Are there any places/moments/memories of sin which I am hiding from You because of shame? I bring these places before You now. Show me Your thoughts towards me in these places.

Prayer: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23, 24 NIV) Shine Your light into every crevice in my heart. Where my shame made me want to hide from You before, I now come to You and look up into Your loving face.

Respond to Him as He leads you.