Overcoming Shame And Guilt

Last Thursday, I focused on overcoming Shame and Guilt.

This message was personal to me as I spent years in battle with these two emotions so much so that looking back over my life, I can see where I have been robbed as a result of shame and guilt.

I spoke about the difference between shame and guilt.

Shame is internalised worthlessness e.g. “I am bad” and guilt is behavioural failure e.g. “I did something bad”. Shame and guilt differs psychologically but they are both often rooted in brokenness. Gnesis chapter 3 highlights this.

Genesis 3: 6-13

^6 “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

 ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

¹¹ And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

¹² The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

¹³ Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

Verse 10, you can see the shame in Adam’s response to God. Wherever there is shame. Two things follow, fear and the need to hide. Fear and hiding comes with shame.

From a psychological standpoint, shame is toxic, driving addiction and leads to social withdrawal whilst guilt can be adaptive, thereby fostering repentance.

Shame is often experienced by someone who has experienced trauma and childhood abuse. Guilt can work for one’s good as it highlights one has a conscience. Guilt is the acknowledgment that the behaviour was wrong but shame assumes identity with the action and that is not the truth.

Jesus Christ removed shame by dying on the cross and being raised from the dead on the third day. Because of this sacrifice, your identity is in Christ. You are now adopted as a son. Romans chapter 8 establishes this. I love that Romans 8:1 starts off with “there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus”. Condemnation is a little different from shame in that it makes you subject yourself to torture and make you believe you are worthy of the worst type of judgement. This is not the mind of Christ and this mindset must be cast down according to 2 Corinthians 10:5.

Shame focuses on self which then leads to isolation which then causes a dishonour to one’s own identity leading you to hide your gifts and the light of who you are.

Guilt focuses on the act which leads to repair and improvement- guilt helps one to focus on transgression leading to repentance.

There are so many scriptures in the bible that highlights characters who experienced shame and the redemption of Jesus Christ.

You can read about the Woman at the Well in John chapter 4. King David in Psalm 51 and the woman caught in sin in Luke chapter 7.

In conclusion, for those of you who read this and you are experiencing shame. I want you to know that Jesus is able to deliver you, heal you and set you free from this captivity. He came that you would have life and have it more abundantly.

Prayer: Father in the name of Jesus Christ, Lord I thank You for highlighting the difference between shame and guilt. Heavenly Father, I surrender the shame and condemnation I have been carrying. I lay the burden of shame, guilt and condemnation at your feet. You encourage to lay down our burdens. Your burdens are light so I make an exchange Lord and I pick up the truth of your word that I am loved and accepted. I thank You that nothing can separate me from Your love according to Romans 8v38-39. Father God, I receive your adoption according to Romans 8:15. I cry out to You Abba Father, and I pray Lord pour your love upon me. I receive your love. Rebuke fear and shame from me in Jesus Name I pray amen.

To watch the replay to ‘Overcoming Shame and Guilt’, click here https://bit.ly/4aOQDN2