Freedom From Shame 01 | We Are All Imperfect
Shame is an emotion and experience that every person in human history has felt—with the exception of Jesus. It is a human experience that can wreak havoc on our soul and mental health. Shame can haunt us, constantly pursuing us with lies about ourselves and our worth. It can also paralyze us, leaving us feeling stuck in our flaws and failures.
Shame is experienced for the first time in human history in Genesis 3:
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked, so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” (Genesis 3:7, NIV)
Adam and Eve, after the fall, felt the devastating effects of living contrary to God's design. They had chosen not to trust God's guidance and design. As a result, they experienced spiritual, relational, psychological, and emotional consequences. They attempted to hide from God, and they attempted to hide from each other.
This is a picture of shame. Shame is an exposure of our nakedness—we have been revealed as imperfect and flawed.
How do we find freedom from shame?
I would like to share with you a few lessons from Adam and Eve’s response to shame that can lead us to a place of freedom—this is the first of five insights on shame that can lead you to freedom from shame.
We Are All Imperfect
When Adam and Eve first became aware of their nakedness, notice how the Bible describes this:
“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked.” (Genesis 3:7, NIV)
In the state that God created them, they were naked. Nakedness conveys that they were at ease with one another, with no relational barriers. They had no shame or guilt. Nakedness pictures the absence of shame in the world that God created.
They became aware of their nakedness for the first time. In other words, they felt shame for the first time. Shame is an exposure of our nakedness—we have been revealed as imperfect and flawed.
They felt exposed for the first time. They knew shame. Shame had entered God’s creation for the first time. They saw something wrong with themselves.
We feel the same way when shame shows up. We feel exposed. We become aware of things that are wrong with us—all of our flaws, all of our imperfections, all of our failures.
What shame fails to tell us in these moments is that everyone is imperfect. The only person who lived on this earth who was perfect was Jesus. You and I are not Jesus, and God does not expect us to be.
God knows that we are all imperfect.
God does not condemn you for your imperfections.
Instead, God pursues you in love—knowing all of your imperfections, flaws, and failures.
Our awareness of our imperfections should lead us to God.
It is okay to admit that you are imperfect.
It is through the knowledge of your imperfections that you can find forgiveness and freedom from the haunting and paralyzing effects of shame—through Jesus.
It is through a relationship with Jesus that your soul can find the freedom it longs for.
It is through a relationship with Jesus that you can begin to see the truth of forgiveness and reject the lies of condemnation.
“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)
There Are Better Days Ahead.
Much Love + Peace,
Wesley, Founder