Got Any Shame?

If you do, you’re unlikely to share it with anyone.   Shame is something that we tend to carry deep inside us and don’t often disclose to anyone.   It’s those feelings we have when we go back and remember something stupid or horrible that we did and  can’t ever fix.   I was thinking about something this morning where a mistake of mine hurt someone and things will never be the same with them.  Even though it was over five years ago and I have reached out many times apologizing and asking for forgiveness, that relationship will never be what it was.  And I still fill twinges of shame for the things that I did that hurt them and changed something good into something uncomfortable.

Shame isn’t a sin.  It’s an emotion, like guilt, that helps us to remember not to do those things again.  It’s healthy…. unless we take it too far and live in the “shame space” constantly.   It isn’t healthy to dwell on past mistakes and it isn’t God’s plan for us.

Consider this:

What if you had a friend who got a speeding ticket?   They felt horrible and were broke and couldn’t pay it.   So you went down to the police station and paid it for them.   They said thank you and appeared grateful, but every day they kept talking about how they were trying to save money to pay that ticket.   Each time you reminded them that it had already been paid.   What if finally, they had the money, and they kept heading down to the police station to attempt and pay that ticket no matter how many times they were told that it had already been taken care of?  How long would you be patient with someone who could not accept the fact that they were free and clear of their wrongdoing?

This maybe how God feels when we continue to carry our guilt and shame when He took care of it long ago.  The price has been paid.  We can move on.