No Condemnation
I know the shadow of shame all too well. I know how it beckons you to hide in the darkness and whispers guilt. That it speaks lies over your value, worth, and trajectory in life. It's a favorite of the enemy's and he'll use it to keep you in a corner so that you won't live in the freedom God longs for you to live in. The freedom he bought with a sacrifice.
Shame., condemnation, guilt—these feelings can be heavy and debilitating. We feel them for major mistakes and small hiccups. As a parent, spouse, friend, and employee, it's not something any of us escapes.
The thing about shame is that when we experience it, we often do the very thing we shouldn't do: hide. We want to pull away from God because we’re ashamed of what we've done. Ashamed of who we are.
Have you ever done that? Pulled away from Him out of guilt. Waited to come back to His feet when you've cleaned yourself up. Don't feel alone, we’ve all felt that. In fact, Adam and Eve did the same thing in the garden.
Shame Enters the Picture
After they had eaten the fruit and were aware of sin, God came walking through the garden to commune with them. They heard Him coming and hid because of their shame. When He asked where the two were, they said they were hiding because they were naked.
That's what we do, isn't it? We feel our shame and hide from the Father. But just as He called out Adam and Eve, He is calling you and me out from our hiding. God doesn't want you to distance yourself from Him in your shame; in fact, He wants the exact opposite. The Father wants you to run to Him for care, grace, and intimacy.
Restored and Redeemed
In the story of the prodigal son, the father was watching and looking for his son to return. The moment he saw his beloved son on the horizon, he ran to him. Even more, he gave him his robe and threw a party!
The Father doesn't sit there with His hand on His forehead, so frustrated that He doesn't want to be around you. That might be what we want to do, but not Him. Instead, He wants to draw you close, work through what happened, and get to a better place. If you're a parent, you understand this because it's what you would want for your child.
I want to leave you with this verse as a reminder that shame shouldn't last and that there is freedom from the bondage of guilt.
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus”
If you're feeling shame or guilt, run to the Father. He is a safe place and provides mercy to those who seek forgiveness. And remember, there is no condemnation for those who follow Christ. When the enemy begins to whisper that lie in your ear, speak Romans 8:1 over yourself and seek the Father's presence.
And remember, freedom is ONLY found in Jesus.