Beyond The Shame

Everyone in this life has their own journey to experience and to explore. Each journey has many roads to follow and each road is different in nature and can lead to a destination of our choosing. The path you’re taking right now may be smooth and enjoyable for you, or maybe during this season of your life, the road is bumpy, filled with rocks and potholes. There maybe even some pretty large boulders standing in your way. I know this may sound strange, but bear with me for a moment. As I was praying on this in these early morning hours, I saw a vision of each rock or boulder (depending on your situation) as a piece on a board game. So, the goal is to look at your rock and read the word painted on it. That word will describe what it is that you were experiencing in your life at that moment during your  journey.

So, for instance, if it said Peace, Joy, etc. then I pictured your road being freshly paved and enjoyable to travel on and you were free to move forward, but if the word was something different in nature, like for example…  Pride, Shame, Self-Control then you couldn’t make your next move until you learned how to allow the Lord to walk you through your journey being set free of those things.. Once you are able to conquer that stage the rock was moved out of the way and you were free to see what was beyond those words and continue down the next path.

Now, if it’s your move to read the next stone, What would yours say? Would this next journey be smooth and enjoyable for you, or would there be a large boulder that created a road block and you have to learn how to get beyond that road block? Well, the word written on my rock was Shame and it has  been a definite road block. Shame tends to try to re-appear in my life every so often. It has had the ability to tear me down and even strip me of almost all confidence. Shame had the upper hand only because I unknowingly allowed to do so. You see, everyone has a past and a story to tell. My past wasn’t pretty and it consisted of years and years of pain, but not all of the pain was inflicted on me.

There’s a saying that says: Hurt people Hurt People. So when pain is all you get, it’s also all you how to give.  At times, as we all do, I hurt people I loved. Not on purpose, but never the less they were hurt by me (Usually by my words) and the enemy has a field day at times reminding me of those things and then my heart fills with Shame once again. It has been a repeated cycle in my life. So, how can this boulder of shame be removed? How do I remove its power over my life? What’s beyond the shame for me? The answer is Christ. The answer always leads back to Christ. It says in 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Because of my confession, He has already forgiven me and set me free. I am already walking in His forgiveness. So, how do I stop the enemy from returning those punches over and over?

Weather we realize it or not, our shame also becomes prideful. We (or I in this case) spend so much time grieving over our shame that we tend to forget what He’s already done. We in our sadness take away the magnitude of the healing He’s already done in us, by allowing it to resurface over and over again. We has children of God must remain steadfast in His word. We must stay fervent in prayer if we are going to remain victorious in battle. So, what’s beyond those boulders in your life? What’s beyond the shame in my life? The answer in Victory! Victory in Jesus! He and only He can set us free.

Every answer in life is Jesus.. From Genesis to Revelation, it all circles back to Christ. Every road we travel, weather smooth or bumpy leads straight to Christ. John 14:6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. There can be no more sorrow, no more shame and no more pride if we choose to follow Christ and allow our everything to surround who He is in us. Not who we are in Him. It all leads back to Jesus! Christ didn't call us into a life of shame, He has called us Redeemed. No sin or shame can hold us down once cleansed by His blood. His sacrifice removes our shame. Lay it down, walk away and say Thank You Jesus for the Cross on which You bore my shame. He is Worthy!!

                                                                  Karen Hurl

                                                                 10/5/2018