I sat down to write but found myself more interested in listening to a Dave Ramsey podcast.  I have been bingeing his radio show for the last few weeks.  Seriously, hardcore.  If you have spoken to me recently, most likely I brought him up at some point.  If you do not know who he is, let me tell you briefly.  He is a finance teacher who believes we should live debt free (because the borrower is slave to the lender) and pay cash for everything.  He went from being broke to becoming a multi-millionaire.  (I think he might know a thing or two.)  He created a program called Financial Peace University which is a multi-week curriculum that teaches you how to manage your finances and build wealth.  I completed it years ago at my church back in New Jersey.  Recently, I have been asking God questions about my finances and He reminded me about Dave.  (We are on a first named basis in my head.)   I had his podcast in my queue but never pressed play.  It was time listen.

When my mother passed away, she left me with a large sum of money.  In my ignorance, I mishandled it and don’t have much to show for it.  I will say, I was able to attend college and graduated without any student loans.  I did one thing right.  As the years went by, I would remind myself how much further along I would be if I did not do x, y, or z.  I lived in regret and disappointment.  I beat myself up over and over again.  It was a vicious cycle.  I finally came to a place where I recognized crying over spilled milk was not the answer.  I decided to stop walking in the shadow of shame.

What exactly is shame?  One definition I found on Wikipedia said the following: “an unpleasant self-conscious emotion typically associated with a negative evaluation of the self, withdrawal motivations, and feelings of distress, exposure, mistrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness.” The Oxford dictionary defines it as “a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.”

What a mouthful! Shame has a way of shining a spotlight on the tender parts of our soul that require a healing touch of our Heavenly Father. It is like it highlights every shortcoming and seeks to play it on the reel of our lives over and over again.

I have experienced shame in other areas of my life.  I shared with a friend my own struggles with my body and the immense levels of self-consciousness I feel about specific things.  The fact we were even having the conversation was shocking to me because I NEVER talk about it to ANYONE.  The way in which we breached the topic was unexpected to both of us.  It seemed random but it was so necessary.  It was healing.  As the words were leaving my mouth, the grip of shame began to lessen.  In those moments, I recognized there is a level of love and acceptance we must grant ourselves to move out Shameville.  I was grateful for a safe place to expose my weakness.

Even more, God talks to us about shame in His Word.  One verse in particular came to mind as I penned this post:  

Those who look to Him [God] for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. Psalm 34:5 NLT

I will be the first to say I look to God for help all the time! I am so thankful for the relationship I have with Him and the promises I find in His Word.  Shame is not my portion, JOY IS!

What about you? Are there areas in your life where you feel shame? Look to God for help and for the proper perspective. Mediate on this truth found in Scripture.   Allow Him to speak to your heart.  Shame seeks to tear you down while God desires to build you up.

Until Next Time,

Live Audaciously!

Kay Naomi