“No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.”
– Psalm 25:3 (NIV)
Daily Meditation: Psalm 25, Romans 5:1-10
I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have vulnerable moments all the time. As a speaker for women’s conferences, I have been known to say something more “real” than “polished” or be overcome with emotion in front of thousands of women. With two kids that I love more than life, I have also been known to be very protective, even to the point of occasionally embarrassing my kids! I wish it weren’t so, but embarrassment is often inevitable in life.
Shame, on the other hand, is not inevitable. Too many of us have accepted shame as part of our identity. We dwell on the negative things we’ve experienced, the mistreatment we’ve endured, or the areas where we believe we’ve failed, and we forget that God has made us new. When shame tries to tell us we’re nothing more than our worst moments, and when fear clouds our minds with doubts, we need to recognize that we’re believing a lie—a lie about who God is and who we are. And once we identify the source of that lie (hint: he’s our adversary!), we can acknowledge it, refute it, and replace it with the truth about God’s unconditional love.
As Psalm 25:3 says, if we believe in the Lord and our hope is in him, we never need to feel ashamed. God also goes one step further, as he usually does, and comforts us with his promise to “wipe away the tears from all faces” (Isaiah 25:8). Instead of wallowing in shame, we can relax in the comforting presence of God. I love that!
So the next time you experience embarrassment, judgment, criticism, or fear and you’re tempted to live in shame, take a breath and choose to let God’s amazing love crowd out the shame. Don’t let shame get in the way of your freedom and joy in Christ!
“Grace means that all of your mistakes now serve a purpose instead of serving shame.”
– Mike Rusch
Be fearless: You know the end of the story, and shame has no part in it. So fight against shame, say goodbye to it, and replace it with the truth of God’s word. Seek out scriptures, songs, and people that remind you of you really are created to be: a woman full of God’s strength, peace, and grace – not Satan’s shame!
Let’s let 2019 be the year we grow closer to the Lord and become the fearless, strong, and faithful woman we are meant to be in Him! In Be Fearless, Julie Clinton provides a scripturally-sound guide for finding freedom, purpose, joy… and fearlessness. Be Fearless is now available in our store! https://www.aacc.net/product/be-fearless/ Consider working through Be Fearless with another extraordinary woman or group this year.
Julie Clinton, MAd, MBA, is president of Extraordinary Women and host of EWomen conferences all across America. She is the author of several books including A Woman’s Path to Emotional Freedom, 10 Things You Aren’t Telling Him, and Extraordinary Women. She is passionate about seeing women live out their dreams by finding their freedom in Christ. Julie and her husband, Tim, live in Virginia with their children, Megan and Zach.