Overcoming Guilt and Shame

Even in my elder years, remnants of guilt and shame bubble up from somewhere deep inside, life-long shadows of mistakes and hurts. Although Jesus Christ has saved me from the penalty of my sin, my facing, forgiving, and accepting myself has been an ongoing process.

Recently, a friend shared definitions of guilt and shame: Guilt means I made a mistake. Shame means I am a mistake.

As remorse repeats its accusations, how can I turn off the convicting noise? How many excuses, denials, or beating myself up over consequences before the judge and jury set me free?

Where do the voices of guilt and shame originate? Who am I listening to, after all? Why the ongoing taunts to drag me down? How do I overcome the shame-driven lies that I am a mistake?

This world, the domain of the father of lies, is bent on defeating me with guilt and shame. Yet, like a caterpillar trying to squirm its way off the ground, even if I climb as high as I can, I still cannot fly while tethered to condemnation. Only by inviting the power of God’s Perfect Light into my dark cocoon, may I die to my convicted self, and be transformed into a new creation.

I need not wait ‘til physical death to be rid of these internal griefs. The Father of Life continues to free me from the effects and penalty of sin…separation, guilt, shame, death. When guilt and shame bubble up, Truth debunks the lies when I honestly come before the LORD, embrace the Truth of who my Creator made me to be (my real identity), and receive, through transformation, new life spiritually in my present body.

God is my Final and Righteous Judge. He teaches me now how to right my wrongs, holds me through my tears, reshapes and restores me. And always throughout the process, He loves me.

Restoration, forgiveness, and freedom are exhilarating! How like a caterpillar am I, a small earth-bound creature with an innate desire to fly. What delight, snipping the fetters of guilt and shame, receiving new life, and flying even now in God’s Eternal Kingdom.

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LORD, thank You for Your saving grace. Thank You that though our enemy masquerades as an angel of light, he quickly loses power when facing You, Eternal Truth. Refine us, LORD. Renew us as we come honestly before You confessing our guilt and shame, and trusting You to lead us through the transformation of forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation. Thank You, LORD, for freeing us from condemnation to become all You created us to be…Your exquisite creation. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

1 John 1:5 NLT “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all.”

Romans 12:2 NLT “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 NLT “So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

Psalm 139:14 NKJV “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.”