Scripture of the day:
Psalm 25:3 (NIV)
“No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.”
Hope Revelation of the Day:
Hoping in God sets us free from shame.
I was only 13, but the ridicule of those around me impacted me in such a deep way. It wasn’t true what they said, but the threats and the words pierced me . . . and I believed them. The sweaty palms and rapid heartbeat clued me in that fear was mixed with the shame I felt and I did not know how to get out of the fix I was in.
It wasn’t enough that I had gone through significant trials that year. My parent’s divorce and moving 6 times left me feeling buried in a cloud I could not get out of. But to be threatened constantly with taunts of people who wanted to beat me up because of my appearance sent me to an even deeper level of shame.
Funny how numbers impacts shame. When one person says something about us, it hurts, but when they compound the shame by inviting others to participate, it just feels overwhelming. But at the moment of shame we have a choice. A secret. Hoping not for our fame or acceptance, but simply hoping in Christ is our greatest weapon against shame.
[Tweet “Simply hoping in Christ is our greatest weapon against shame.”]
Sometimes it will seem crazy or moot to hope when we are surrounded by shame. But we have some pretty amazing examples in Scripture of those who have gone before us who have hoped against all odds. Some commentaries put this Psalm as occurring during Absalom’s rebellion against David. There was surely shame that David was feeling during this time as he fled from his own son who sought to kill him and take his position and also had sexual relations with his concubines on the roof of his house. Shame indeed.
But David hoped in that place of shame. Not a vain hope. A confident, expectant one. And his shame dissolved. Right smack dab in the middle of shame. How? His focus wasn’t on the shame. Sure, he felt it deeply. It hurt to be betrayed by his son who he loved. The sting of shame hurts more when it is from someone we trusted, right? But David knew who He trusted in was greater than the shame itself.
[Tweet “God is greater than our shame.”]
So how do we hope when life hurts so much? How do we rise above shame’s sting? Clinging to His Word. Praying and crying out to our living God. Trusting in the character of God and in His promises right in the middle of our pain. This kind of hope does not let the shame keep us bound. It recognizes the power of shame, but knows that God’s power is greater. Shame is temporary. God’s deliverance is eternal. When we keep trusting, keep pressing in, we will have victory.
[Tweet “Shame is temporary. God’s deliverance is eternal.”]
The shame I felt in that season of my life was profound . . . but it was momentary. I remember starting to go to church at that time and praying to God to help me. I did not know the LORD well yet, but I knew He was the only source of real hope. And God delivered. All of the attacks during that time were thwarted by my great God. It was a challenging season, but also a formative lesson of what it meant to rely on God instead of man.
When shame covers us from our own actions or others, we have One who understands and can deliver us. Our hope is not in the removal of shame, but in the One who enables us to rise above it until shame is no more. Hoping in God sets us free from shame.
If you have encountered shame and just don’t know how to deal with it, my book, Shame Off You provides a biblical remedy for all shame we encounter. And we are now in the midst of the book launch for Shame Off You, so you can get the first three chapters for free, along with a Scripture Resource Guide and other goodies to help you snuff out and overcome shame. Check out the pre-buy offer below and other opportunities going on now in the Shame Off You book launch.
Welcome to the Shame Off You life, friends!
Want to be a part of the book launch and receive a free Advanced Reader copy or other fun prizes? Come on over and apply to join!
Love that hoping in God sets us free from shame.shared on fb
Thank you, Noelle! God is faithful, isn’t He?
I was bullied when I was 13 as well. That was a very difficult year of my life. I was taunted, and tortured daily because I was the new girl. I was branded with names that were so far from the truth.
Little did my bully know but I also had a tough home life and couldn’t find solitude anywhere. I because depressed and at times had thoughts of not being here. I quit eating and no one even noticed! I was completely consumed in the shame and lies I was being accused of.
It took me many years and a lot more shameful hardships before I started the process of overcomeing and believing I wasn’t that girl. To believe that I’m worth loving and that there was a God who created me to be the exact person I was! I can’t wait to get the book to see how our stores continue to relate to one another! Thank you for sharing! 💕 Connie
Oh, Connie, my heart hurts for that little girl you once were. I remember that feeling so much. Bullying is horrible. Praise God that you have overcome! Our God will complete the work He began in us. Shame Off Us. 🙂
How beautiful! I also faced bullying as a reasult of appearance (acne). It was so hurtful and left me feeling shame. Thanks for sharing this!
Heather,
Thank you for sharing. The pain of shaming from our childhood sure can leave a sting, can’t it? I am so grateful the LORD heals us from it all. Perfect acceptance in His presence. <3 Shame off us.
Knowing how to release shame is vital in a spirit-filled life. I thank God for always being available. My sister, thank you for allowing God to use your shame… your pain. You are a great example of how God can use it all if we allow Him to do so.
Thank you, dear sister. It is by His grace alone that He has enabled me. May He be glorified in all we go through!
I’m so excited to read this! Very powerful. I’m not that familiar with the old testament and this story of David but these examples intrigue me. It’s been a long day but this post was very restoring to me .
Thank you, Michelle. God’s story is powerful and true and I love to read and share His awesome word. Thank you for visiting here, friend!
That is a beautiful article. I still have a long way to overcome my shame. I think something happened to me as a little girl (maybe by a stranger or babysitter) in that I was ridiculed or penalized for being the sweet little girl that God made me to be, passionately doing something enjoyable that I loved and brought me happiness. I might have trespassed on someone’s property in my innocent ignorance and gotten berated for it. My identity was stolen as my free spirit as a little girl was probably crushed. I can’t remember what it was that happened. All I know is that I have had paralyzing shyness my whole life, fearful that what I want to say will be disdained. I used to be a select mute, but a special ed private school helped me overcome to the point that I could at least talk to people. Every time I see a parent be mean to their child, I cringe. Something happened to me, but what? I was also bullied in two public schools. I was slapped by a teacher in elementary school even! I also had an abusive boyfriend when I was a teenager and young adult. I had developed a fear of making people angry and a fear or disapproval. I have all of the symptoms you describe in your posts and videos. Nowadays, I suffer from depression and dissatisfaction over not living out the life I believe God planned for me. I am still a sad little girl deep down. I look forward to being set free through your ministry and then paying it forward to others.
Janet, Thank you for sharing. I am sorry for your suffering and pray that I can be an encouragement to you, but more than that, that Christ would heal you. He is for you, friend. If He can heal me, I know He can you. <3
Thank you for your encouraging words. They mean a lot.
You betcha! 🙂
How I can relate! Shame has knocked me down and crippled me. Hoping in God sets us free from shame – this is so true. I experienced freedom from shame only with my hope in God.
Yes, Sheila, shame is crippling. But God. He is our hope. Thank you for sharing.
I did not come to know Christ until later in life–after MANY bad choices and big mistakes. So the shame is something that has had a hold on me pretty tight. I am allowing Jesus to lift it from me more with each passing year … but I am not all the way there yet. Through God, I will conquer! Thank you for this awesome message of hope and freedom!
Praise God, Debbie! Praise God for His mercy and long suffering – turning us around to seek Him! Thank you for listening and sharing!
God is greater than our shame! Oh how I love that statement. I found myself in a difficult circumstance as a teenager that went on for many years. There are still statements that come to my mind sometime that are evidence of the shame I have experienced over the years. Until the last couple of years no one identified that shame played such an integral part of my adult life. As we begin putting the pieces together, I sat in disbelief of what I had been living with as a grown woman. Shame had run deep in my veins. So thankful for the journey I have been on at eradicating it from my life! And thankful for someone wise enough to recognize it! Praying your books helps many women!!
Praise God and thank you so much, Karen! Shame can seem overwhelming and we feel stuck in it until we look up. Our Healer is well able to not only remove shame but turn it into a palce of worship. Love Him!
I was bullied all my childhood. It was a nightmare and left me scarred for life. Worse thing about it was my mom and dad made fun and treated me badly right along with it. I went to church but I didn’t know what a relationship with Christ really was. So many years so many bad mistakes, divorce an abuse and one day about 2 years ago I hit rock bottom and it was then and an online Bible study that I learned that God loved me no matter what. It was such a peaceful revelation and now I like who I am…I know who I am.
Wow, Traci. I am so sorry for your pain. People don’t realize what they do to others. God is our Healer, though. So grateful He has saved you. <3 Thank you for hanging in this space with me, friend. Shame Off You and me!
As a childhood survivor of abuse including sexual abuse I thought until a few years ago I was fortunate. You see I never accept the guilt or shame of the sexual abuse. But God showed me a few years ago I did take in some shame in, not ever feeling good enough just as I am. Shame in the scars the abuse left, not physical but mental. So as with other things for me it’s a continual process to walk through by God’s side. Thank you for writing this book.
Tricia, That is HUGE that you recognize the shame. A lot of times we cannot put our finger on it. We are all in process, too. Thank you for sharing! <3