Into the Stormഉദാഹരണം

The Storm of Shame

Shame is the intensely painful feeling that we are broken, damaged, or flawed. It grows like a weed out of our emotions and wraps itself around our thoughts. We start living with shame‑based thinking that morphs into a shame‑based identity. Without realizing it, we can take something we did or something that was done to us and connect it to who we are. We begin to define ourselves by our failures, which sets shame up to be the driving force in our lives. This mindset tricks us into thinking we are defined by our worst day, by our greatest mistake, or our most recent failure.

The opposite is also true. Shame can fool us into basing our identity on our accomplishments, creating in us a soul‑crushing need to achieve, to perform. Striving is how we medicate the pain of feeling like we are not enough; it is how we justify our worth and silence the fear of letting others down. Our shame is reinforced when we cannot be or do everything. But even Jesus, the incarnate Savior, could not be everywhere, do everything, please everyone, or meet everyone’s expectations. If the only perfect person to ever live did not and could not please everyone, then what chance do we have? When our identities are constantly tossed about by the rise and fall of our accomplishments, then we will always be bruised, battered, and worn‑out from the effort of it all.

Jesus is the answer to our shame. When shame forces us into hiding, God does much more than just call out to us. He comes looking for us. He has sought us out by sending His Son to cover us with His grace, to remove our shame, and to restore our joy. Jesus took away our guilt, our sin, and our shame on the cross of Calvary

First John 1:8‑9 tells us, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” We are only fooling ourselves when we try to deny our sin or hide in our shame. Ignoring it or hiding it makes us feel like imposters, which will only lead us to feel even more shame. But when we stop hiding and confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just. He is lovingly waiting to help us trade our sin, shame, and fig leaves for mercy, forgiveness, and amazing grace.

The storm of shame is formidable, but you can make it through to the other side. You may need time, counseling, and support. It may be a daily struggle, but the mercy of God is on your side and will not lose out in this fight. When shame tries to make you feel unworthy and lacking, remind yourself that God found you worth sending His one and only Son to rescue and redeem. When the storm of shame bombards you with lies and condemnation, hold tight to grace and truth. And when the storm of shame tries to speak to who you were or what was done to you, remind yourself who you are in Christ. You have been sought out, fought for, ransomed, redeemed, and rescued.