May 16, 2021

Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:25 NIV

• Guilt believes, “I did something bad.” 

• Shame believes, “I am bad.”

1. We feel guilty for what we did.  We feel ashamed for who we are.

“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging—something we’ve experienced, done, or failed to do makes us unworthy of connection.” Brené Brown

SHAME-BASED THINKING

• We are vulnerable to perfectionism. 

• We are critical of ourselves, which drives us to become critical of others. 

• We use self-defeating thoughts to shield ourselves from disappointment.

2.  The only way to heal from shame is to move the focus from what I’m not, to who Christ is. 

… For the joy set before him he [Jesus] endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 NIV

I am not __________. Because of Christ, I am ___________.

I am not horrible.          Because of Christ, I am Forgiven.

I am not sick.          Because of Christ, I am Healed.

I am not less than.      Because of Christ, I am Whole .

I am not unwanted.      Because of Christ, I am Loved.

Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt.”…     Joshua 5:9 NLT