December 7 • Being Ashamed

Looking back over our lives, or even just the past day, it is easy to find moments we are not proud of, decisions we regret, embarrassing actions and words we wish we could take back. Sin, worry, shame, guilt: these all run deep. You are not alone in them. These are the places where we must wrestle with trusting God’s word the most. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions. [Psalm 25:5] Can God really forgive? Does God really overlook?  

Trusting in God may seem like the easy way out. It isn’t. The easy way out is pretending that none of the problems in your life cause you pain and grief. The hard way is to admit our faults and failures and place our burdens before God. The hard way is trusting that you will be accepted despite your brokenness. Cast all your anxieties on God, because he cares for you. [1 Peter 5]

God promises to move you past the past, to lead you into the future, to bring joy into the present. God’s friendship is for those who are willing to walk the humble path of full trust and submission. God’s forgiveness is for those who bring their sins before him and lay down the weight of their souls. There are plenty of reasons to be ashamed. But your hope in God is never one of them. You have a place where you belong. Never be ashamed of that.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust.

Do not let me be put to shame. Do not let my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame.

Psalm 25:1-3