Shame is one of those insidious things that can creep into our lives in so many different ways. It can stem from mistakes we’ve made, words spoken over us by others, feelings of not being good enough, or the weight of not living up to expectations and standards – our own or others’. Shame often makes us want to hide, to cover up the parts of ourselves that we feel don’t measure up.
But here’s the truth: We were never meant to live under a cloud of shame. God created us to live in freedom, abundance, and wholeness. In the Garden of Eden, before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve “were both naked and felt no shame” (Genesis 2:25). They lived in perfect harmony with God and with each other, without any sense of deficiency or need to hide.
It was only after they disobeyed God’s command and ate from the forbidden tree of knowledge of good and evil that shame reared its ugly head. Suddenly, their eyes were opened and “they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” (Genesis 3:7). Their wrong choice ushered in a sense of being flawed, defective – and the knee-jerk human response was to try to cover it up.
This pattern of shame followed by hiding and cover-up has played on repeat throughout human history ever since that fateful day in Eden. We’ve all experienced it in our own lives and relationships. Anytime we veer from God’s good design and intended path for us, shame comes slithering in like that crafty serpent, whispering lies that we’re not good enough, that we’ve really messed up, that we’re defective and flawed.
And our instinct is often to hide – from God, from others, even from ourselves. We make fig leaf coverings, feeble attempts to mask our perceived shortcomings and defects. We blame and make excuses. We isolate and withdraw. Anything to avoid facing the painful reality of our wrong choices and the shame they have produced.
But here’s the life-changing truth: God never intended for us to live trapped under shame’s oppressive weight. Yes, we’ve all sinned and fallen short of God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:23). We’ve all made wrong choices that have caused brokenness in our lives and relationships. But that’s not the end of the story!
The same chapter in Romans that declares “all have sinned” also proclaims the life-giving words, “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Through Jesus’ death on the cross, he took all our sin, shame, and brokenness upon himself so that we could be forgiven, redeemed, and set free!
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul writes, “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are made brand new spiritual beings. The old life of sin, shame, and brokenness is gone – we don’t have to keep carrying that burden any longer! We are forgiven, clean, and set free to live in the abundance and wholeness God intended from the very beginning.
Does this mean we’ll never feel shame again after becoming Christians? Not necessarily. Shame is a heavy weight our human minds and bodies are accustomed to carrying around. Even after we’ve been spiritually recreated in Christ, we can still get stuck in those old mental patterns and forget the freedom we’ve been given. When we stumble and make mistakes, those old tapes of “You’re not good enough” and “What’s wrong with you?” can start playing in our minds again.
But here’s the good news: Whenever we start to feel those familiar pangs of shame trying to creep back in, we can take those thoughts captive and refuse to accept the lies (2 Corinthians 10:5). We can run back to the solid truth that our value, worth, and identity aren’t based on our own performance or perfection, but on what Jesus has already done for us. We are God’s beloved children, recreated to live in freedom and wholeness.
The trying times and struggles of life don’t have to keep us trapped in shame any longer. Whenever we become aware of wrong patterns of thinking or behaving, we can simply take them to God and ask for His forgiveness and help to re-align with His truth. He is faithful to forgive us and continue His work of transforming us into the glorious creations He has meant for us to be (1 John 1:9).
So if shame has been weighing you down, know that you don’t have to stay trapped in that dark place any longer. God has provided a way out through His Son Jesus! By His grace, you can step out of the shadows, drop those flimsy coverings of your own making, and walk in the brilliant light of freedom and wholeness. It’s not based on your own works or performance, but on what Christ has already done for you.
As you walk in step with God each day, He will keep stripping off those old layers of shame until you are fully walking in the truth of who you are as His redeemed, value, and deeply loved child. No more hiding, blaming, or cover-ups needed! You are forgiven and free to experience the abundant life Jesus came to give you.
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