KNOWING THIS, THAT OUR OLD MAN IS CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, THAT THE BODY OF SIN MIGHT BE DESTROYED, THAT HENCEFORTH WE SHOULD NOT SERVE SIN
(Romans 6:6).

I once felt very bad because of a spelling mistake I made. When I focused on the bad FEELING, I found out that I felt humiliated. When I traced the feeling of humiliation, I was drawn into a childhood memory and discovered a negative, destructive CHILDHOOD CONCLUSION that sat underneath the humiliating feeling: I was about sixteen. An English teacher (this was in South-Africa where I spoke Afrikaans) asked me to write a sentence on the board. I made a spelling mistake. Instead of “their,” I wrote “there.” This was not what made me feel bad. What made me feel humiliated was what happened next. After asking me to hold out my hands, the teacher hit me with a ruler on both hands in front of all my class mates. During this humiliating experience, I made the negative, destructive childhood conclusion that I was stripped of my dignity and worth. I concluded that since my worth was taken away from me, I was now a lesser being. I EXPERIENCED SHAME!

 YOU ARE ALREADY CLEAN BECAUSE OF THE WORD I HAVE SPOKEN TO YOU
(John 15:3).

After I invited the Presence and Participation of the Lord Jesus into this experience of shame, He showed me His humiliating walk to Golgotha, carrying MY shame on the cross He was dragging along on His back.  And then He showed me how He allowed them to nail Him to that same cross that was carrying my shame.  He made sure that my shame was crucified with Him, so that I should not have to suffer from it anymore.  He abolished my shame with the words, “IT IS FINISHED!”

WHEN HE HAD RECEIVED THE DRINK, JESUS SAID, ‘IT IS FINISHED.’ WITH THAT, HE BOWED HIS HEAD AND GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT
(John 19:30).

Do you suffer from shame: a painful emotion caused by guilt, falling short, or being improper? Do you feel lesser in quality, stature, or reputation?

Take your shame to the Lord Jesus. Allow Him to place it on the cross with Himself. Permit Him to die for your shame, too, and end it with His Words “It is finished!”

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, all my life I have been deformed by shame: my painful emotions of guilt, falling short, and of being improper. But, today, I bring my shame to You. I am tired of carrying it in my own heart. It weighs me down. It tears me apart. It destroys my heart. Today, I allow You to die for MY shame, too. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for Your finished work on the cross. Thank you for Your Words: “IT IS FINISHED!” My shame is finished.