Freedom From Shame 02 | You Don’t Have To Cover Your Shame
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 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 second of five insights on shame that can lead you to freedom from shame.
You Don’t Have to Cover Your Shame
When Adam and Eve first experienced shame, they made the first human responses to shame, one of which is described in Genesis 3…
“So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” (Genesis 3:7, NIV)
Adam and Eve made coverings for themselves. They knew they were naked. Shame became a real human experience. So, they felt the need to cover their shame and guilt.
They tried to alleviate this problem themselves, as we do today.
Human history is a story of covering—trying to self-atone for our guilt and shame instead of finding atonement in God. This is essentially religion—an attempt to do something to cover our sin rather than allowing God to cover our sin.
We have all attempted to cover our shame.
We cover our shame with many different types of coverings…
Success
Status
Fashion
Knowledge
Spirituality
Good works
Degrees
Hobbies
Smiles
Busyness
Addictions
And many other things
None of these coverings have the power to free us from shame. They are only temporary coverings. The shame still exists beneath the surface.
Only God can cover our shame. His covering is not temporary. It is permanent.
It is what the Old Testament calls atonement.
It is what the New Testament calls forgiveness.
God alone can provide permanent forgiveness in our lives. He alone can free our soul from the deep lies and emotions of shame.
You don’t have to cover your shame any longer.
Let God be your covering.
“Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.” (Psalm 32:1, NIV)
There Are Better Days Ahead.
Much Love + Peace,
Wesley, Founder