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Embrace the Grace


Shame. It’s an ugly monster that eats away at our soul. I have dealt with tremendous shame in my life over past sins and failures. The crazy thing is, shame will sneak up when you least expect it. It comes in and whispers things like:

"You don’t deserve the blessings you have.”


“How can you be qualified to write about God with your past looming over you.”


“Everyone knows what you really are, and you will never be effective for the Kingdom of God.”


It’s a spiritual struggle, and it’s real in my life. But if we are being honest, I think most of us deal with guilt and shame on some level from time to time. So how do we deal with it?


We embrace the grace.


Grace is unmerited favor. It can’t be earned or rewarded. It’s just given because of unconditional love. 


God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. (Eph. 2:8) 


Sometimes, it’s easier to believe that God will show us mercy and grace than other people. I know that’s how it is for me. God removes our sins as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more. People don’t easily forget. But there’s a solution to this, also.


That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12:10) 


But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. (1 Cor. 15:10)


The Apostle Paul had reason to feel some pretty harsh shame and guilt. The man literally killed Christians in the name of God. Jesus got his attention in a big way, and because of Paul’s missionary work, the western world received the message of the Gospel.


God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. (1 Cor. 1:28)


Unfortunately, most of us have a past that we’d rather just forget. We live with regrets and heartache when we are reminded of things that came up and hurt that resulted in our decisions. But God doesn’t want us to live in that condemnation anymore. Furthermore, if God can use someone like Paul, he can use you and me.


I’m not saying that I will just supernaturally be released from all shame and guilt. As long as we live in this fallen world, we will deal with the consequences of our past if we make poor choices. The GOOD NEWS is that we have God on our side through Jesus Christ who sits as our advocate when shame creeps in. Holy Spirit gently reminds us to search God’s Word and brings to our remembrance what Jesus has done so we can have life more abundantly. Jesus opens His arms to us in our moments of shame so we can embrace the grace He so freely gives. Shame has no authority over us when we depend on the grace of God to sustain us.


If you deal with shame and regret, I'd like to offer a prayer for you on days when the guilt is overwhelming.


Dear Jesus, thank you for the gift of grace. Help me to embrace what you offer and to see myself as you see me. When I stumble, help me to turn away from my sin and return to You. Thank you for always being there with open arms to receive me and restore me back into right relationship with You. I praise you, Lord, for using me in spite of my weaknesses so that Your name can be declared and glorified. Help me to be more like you in Jesus' name. Amen.


© Jill Cook and Unbroken & Undone Ministries.  All rights reserved.

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