At The Movies | Friday
Friday | July 17
This Week's Focus:
Our culture often tells us, "Your past defines you." But in Christ, we are forgiven and released from our past, so we can be set free to experience real, hopeful joy grounded in the present and looking to the future.
Our culture often tells us, "Your past defines you." But in Christ, we are forgiven and released from our past, so we can be set free to experience real, hopeful joy grounded in the present and looking to the future.
Scripture
Scripture Helps Us Hear God And Live His Truth.
“Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces."
Psalm 34:5 NLT
Psalm 34:5 NLT
Shame
Yesterday we unpacked a pretty heavy subject. We considered guilt and how, through Jesus, we are justified, and the debt is no more. Today we are going to take a look at shame.
Guilt focuses on behavior or actions that were wrong. Shame, on the other hand, is rooted in the belief that we are worthless and wrong. That's why feelings of guilt, when left unresolved, can lead us to a dark place where shame takes hold.
Think about it this way: shame is like a terrible narrator that follows you everywhere, judging and criticizing everything. The lie it tells slowly erodes your sense of identity and self-worth. Eventually, you start to isolate yourself from Christ and other believers who care about you. The end result is living with a barrier that leaves you feeling like an imposter, completely cut off from God's love and mercy.
That's why the words of the Psalmist are so important. When we find ourselves struggling with shame, we are to "look to Him for help." Christ empathizes with the pain of our shame, having endured pain and rejection (Hebrews 12:2). When we bring those burdens to Him, choose to see hope, confess what needs confessing, and step back into the community of believers, we find the blessings, honor, and joy God intends (Isaiah 61:7).
Guilt focuses on behavior or actions that were wrong. Shame, on the other hand, is rooted in the belief that we are worthless and wrong. That's why feelings of guilt, when left unresolved, can lead us to a dark place where shame takes hold.
Think about it this way: shame is like a terrible narrator that follows you everywhere, judging and criticizing everything. The lie it tells slowly erodes your sense of identity and self-worth. Eventually, you start to isolate yourself from Christ and other believers who care about you. The end result is living with a barrier that leaves you feeling like an imposter, completely cut off from God's love and mercy.
That's why the words of the Psalmist are so important. When we find ourselves struggling with shame, we are to "look to Him for help." Christ empathizes with the pain of our shame, having endured pain and rejection (Hebrews 12:2). When we bring those burdens to Him, choose to see hope, confess what needs confessing, and step back into the community of believers, we find the blessings, honor, and joy God intends (Isaiah 61:7).
Reflection
Reflection Helps Us Pause, Listen, And Let God Speak To Our Hearts.
- Has shame led me to isolate myself from God and others, or am I bringing my struggles into the light for prayer and encouragement?
- Is there someone I need to forgive for shaming me, or someone I need to apologize to for shaming them?
Weekly Memory Verse
Read It Once A Day. Let It Shape How You Think And Pray This Week.
"Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends."
Proverbs 17:9 NLT
Proverbs 17:9 NLT
Prayer
Through Prayer, We Talk To God And Listen For His Guidance.
Lord, I praise you for your intense understanding of all situations. Thank you for stepping into my shame and bitterness and helping me forgive and move toward joy and peace in you. Thank you Jesus for all you have done! Amen.
Come Back Tomorrow
Join us tomorrow as we continue to learn to let go of the old and put on the new life we have in Christ.