SHAME IS NOT YOUR FRIEND

It’s time to break down the roadblocks in your life. And if there is one thing holding you back it is shame. Shame about who you have been in the past and who you are not at this point in time. Shame wants to keep you on lockdown, but God is serious about setting you free and empowering your steps so you can bring His liberty song to the world around you. 

Check out what God has to say about your life right now: 

"Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand-new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands." (Isaiah 43:18-19)

You’re done with the old

"Don't keep going over old history." The first step to begin again is to let old things die. We have to stop rehearsing and reliving our past.

I have a few gorgeous succulents that live on my window shelf. As new shoots grow the old ones have started to decay. Because I want my plant to live I must do something crazy! In shocking contradiction I must break my beloved plant apart so that it can grow. Maybe you're struggling to survive because you refuse to take dying things off of life support? Maybe you are so used to feeling those things draining you that you don't even know how to live without that pull? But because we want to live vibrantly we must make a clean break.

Here is the good hard truth, it is time to cut away that lie that is poisoning your identity, or a relationship that depletes you, or activities that are killing your time, or the mindsets that sedate you - because those things are not helping you they are harming you. They cannot come with you where you are going.

I know you want that new life springing up in the dry places! I know you want to thrive! So, you need to do the hard thing and let go of what has happened so you can grab on to what is coming. It will be worth it! 

A new start

"Be present. I'm about to do something brand-new" I love that thought, “God is about to do something brand new in your life!" So pay attention! Get ready! Be attentive. If you look at the Hebrew word, “brand new” it means “fresh of this year.” Why would God say, “I’m about to do something fresh of this year?” Because God operates in time and seasons. He is all about the process of growth not perfectionism. He develops things through relationship and all good relationships take time!

God designed all life to begin at seed form. This reveals that God loves the growth process. God is ok with us becoming a student and discovering things we did not know before. We may feel stuck, but God is not stressed out when we take time to learn or when we don't understand things. He has a different response because He is a Good Father who loves His kids! 

It’s ok to be childlike

Often we feel like we have to be perfect the first time around, even when we are learning something for the first time. But God wants us to become like children again, and children are good students. When we start something new we have not mastered it and because we are not comfortable going through a process we feel ashamed. But students have the freedom to learn.

Don’t be friends with shame 

“I should have” “I’m always behind” “I can’t” “I never will” are all shame talking. These whispers break down your defenses keeping you stuck in a cycle of hopelessness. But God is shouting a different thing! And it’s a battle cry! Rise up! I’m teaching you how to fight your war! I’m your Dad and I’m going to train you how to win! I’ll never stop reaching out pulling you up out of the pit.

Weak excuses “It’s too late for me” “I never will” “I’m not going anywhere” pale when faced with what God says. God says, “I am!” “I will!” God speaks with declarations instead of regrets.

We decide if we will place shame or God on the throne of our hearts. Shame is faith in a lie. And the lie is that you are your past. But you have died to that old identity and moved into the home of God. Now you have taken on a new name! Adoption into the family of God has shifted the course of your life. But you and I have to choose to live like the free children God has made us. The Word explains that you will be captive to sin or captive to Christ. We choose the partnership. But friendship with sin and friendship with God have two completely different outcomes. Shame is a dictatorship but Jesus is an empowering King. A life sold out for Jesus is true freedom.

You may have some regrets, but guess what, regret will never set you free. The only thing which can break your chains is repentance. Regret says, “I feel powerless because this is who I am” but repentance says, “I am a powerful child of God and I will make a change.” This subtle mindset shift will push you into radical growth!

Take the step now

You have the whole kingdom of God backing you up. All the tools you need to live a vibrant life are available to you as you shift from friendship with shame to friendship with God. I challenge you to take that risk today!

Are you in the middle of a struggle with shame? Or do you have a story to tell of how God lifted you up out of shame and gave you a strong place in Him? I would love to hear your story in the comments below!

BOOK OF EPHESIANS

Grow in your identity as a son or daughter by reading the “Love Letter” from your Father.

READ

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More on identity!