“When shame becomes lodged in our hearts, it eventually impacts our words and behaviors.”

A thought by Andy Stanley (2009-08-22) from his book, It Came from Within!: The Shocking Truth of What Lurks in the Heart (p. 55). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition.

That is so true isn’t it? Now how we view the action that brings us that shame has so much to do with how we deal with it.

Back when I was in ministry I did something that brought so much shame on my life and I stepped out of ministry. Margaret and I moved to another town. I knew that I had blown it and I started selling Insurance. The shame changed the direction of my life. That is until I went to a church in that town and God sent a Godly Pastor into my life who took the time and patience to bring me out of my shame. You see my sin action didn’t make God turn His back on me. He pursued me and won me back.

Now if my shame would have kept me from seeking out God then I would have had scars forever but my shame drew me to God and He in turn through it changed me for all time. He used my shame to deepen my empathy for people like I never had had. I then knew what forgiveness really felt like. I really saw how much God loved me in spite of my imperfections.

Of course I asked Him to forgive me and He did and I live today in His eyes as if I had never done it. “There is now no condemnation (shame) to those who are in Christ.”

Now if you have asked Him to forgive you but you still have the shame it doesn’t come from Him. He forgave you. It comes from someone else, from Satan or from your own perfectionism.

I was reminded in my reading this morning of the shame that the prostitute that the religious leaders brought to Jesus to test Him and of how Jesus handled it there in John 8. You may remember how He wrote their sins in the sand and their shame instead of bringing them to Christ made them turn and walk away but the shame of the woman brought her to Christ. He finished His time with her saying, “Go on your way. From now on, don’t sin.” John 8:10 (Msg)

You see, real shame comes from your sin and if you ask Christ to forgive you the shame inside you of the sin is gone.

Yes it does impact our words and behaviors but if it brings you to Christ then it will have a positive, life changing impact. It did in my life and it did in the life of that prostitute.

What about you?

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