Reimagining Pro-Life: 30 Days With Save the StorksНамуна

HEART //

We tend to believe that we are less vulnerable if no one knows what we have done. When we sin, we are often quick to hide behind walls, concealing our shortcomings. In reality, Satan is using shame from past sin to keep us swamped in current sin. God’s correction and conviction in our lives “produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret” (2 Corinthians 7:15). Godly regret (coming to terms with the reality of our wrongdoing) takes down the wall (our sin) that was separating us from God and leads us to Jesus.

As Dr. D. Clair Davis wrote, “The Lord doesn’t talk about your sin so you’ll think you’re trash. He talks about it just because you’re not. He talks about it because he made you in His own image, with an infinitely higher and brighter plan for you than the one you choose for yourself.” In order to get to God’s high, bright plan for ourselves, we have to “confess” our past and present vulnerability, as today’s verse teaches us. We also have to “renounce” (reject) it. We must ask God to come near where we may have been pushing Him away, to hold us up where we are weak — He doesn’t strengthen and sustain us from a distance. Sometimes shame can take hold and keep us distant from God because (individually, or as a church community) we struggle with openness about the realities of sin and the extravagance of grace. 

Statistically, 43% of women who have had an abortion were regular (once a month or more) churchgoers at the time of their abortion, and sadly 54% said they would not recommend discussing an unplanned pregnancy with someone at church. Shame keeps us silent, causing us to suffer alone and wordlessly continue in the dark cycle of struggle. Silence does not welcome the dawn of mercy and joy that God promises us with confession. 

The temptation of abortion relies on lies, lies that thrive on isolation. Loneliness, insecurity in unhealthy relationships, or the ‘need’ to be completely independent lead us to believe that no one is really there for us. Lack of accountability in community fuels the twisted deception in our culture at large, that life will be easier, more fair, if there are no real consequences for sexual ‘freedom.’ 

The well-intentioned but misguided notion that, because women should have the right to make decisions about their own bodies, they should be able to end a life, undermines the relationship of mother and child that is a cornerstone of healthy family community. These lies come flooding in when we, as a people, are not cultivating interconnected, healthy relationships. If we, as a church, can become more inclined to tell the truth about our own sin; to confess and receive mercy; to reject shame and isolation; and to invite forgiveness and accountability, then we will raise the level of honesty and openness in our families and communities. 

Letting go of shame over past mistakes is absolutely necessary when moving toward the life of spending ourselves on behalf of others. The past should not determine how we live life in the present. The truth that God’s love is enough to cover every past mistake — and even future failures — sets the stage for forgiving ourselves, forgiving others, and removing shame from our midst. 

No matter what we have done, God’s grace and love are enough. Openness in community is vulnerable and scary because there will be mistakes. None of us will love perfectly, but shutting out community is never the solution. Fears multiply when we become distant from healthy community and wise counsel. Shame is always waiting for us in the wings, hoping that we will shut each other out, so that it can lie to us in our isolation. Will we fall into its trap?

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Today’s prayer is that God will reveal to us any walls that need to be torn down in our hearts, those that separate us from God and isolate us in shame. Recognizing and becoming free from this trap is a HUGE step toward spending ourselves for others in the way that God invites us to. Will you consider letting go of the past and looking toward your future opportunities without fear? 

In your journal, write down the areas in your life where you feel inadequate, ashamed, or worthless. Then, let go. Meditate on these truths: God is gracious and loving, and He is enough. He says that we are forgiven and loved, covered by Christ’s righteousness, adopted into His family. Ask Him to download these truths into your heart, casting out feelings of shame and producing lasting change in your actions. Prayerfully consider whether to seek out a well-trained Christian counselor or pastor to help you where you’re stuck. You are not alone!

After you do, take a moment to watch this powerful video of actress Ashley Bratcher, who plays Abby Johnson in the movie, Unplanned. She shares about a confession that changed her life while on the set of Unplanned.