Daily Nuggets of Grace Part 2 Unashamed!Muestra

How Is Shame Running Your Life?

“Dad, who’s flying the plane?” my son asked as we cruised in a single-engine plane 4,000 feet above the ground.

“The pilot,” I laughed.

“No, he’s not!” my son declared. “The pilot is writing in a notebook.”

My son was right. At that moment, the pilot was not flying the plane; it was on autopilot. Shame is the “autopilot” for many of us. We think we are running our lives, making decisions, and navigating through the day, but we are being controlled by something else - shame.

Shame changes our mood by influencing our thoughts about ourselves. Shame prompts us to keep emotional distance from people, limiting relationships. Shame hinders us from working well with others because we’re reluctant to share our ideas. Shame controls people and makes us miss God’s grace.

God had chosen King Saul to lead Israel, but in 1 Samuel 15, Saul disobeyed God's command. One reason was rebellion; another was arrogance, a cousin of shame. Because of Saul's disobedience, God rejected him as king over Israel.

Near the end of the chapter, Saul asks the prophet Samuel to worship the Lord with him. Initially, Samuel refuses, citing God's rejection of Saul. In verse 30, Saul replies, "I have sinned. But please honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God."

Saul admitted he’d sinned but didn’t show any remorse. His motive was avoiding shame. "Honor me before the elders of my people and before Israel." If Samuel didn’t worship with him, then Saul would feel shame.

This shows us that shame can pull from two directions. Sometimes, we are controlled by the shame of what has already happened. Other times, shame controls us with the "what if.” I will be ashamed if I don't do this, achieve that, or succeed there.

Saul's worship was not motivated by love for God or repentance for disobeying God. He was motivated by his desire to avoid shame.

Take a few minutes to recognize how shame runs your life. This may include shame for things that have already happened and your attempts to avoid shame in the future.

Pray

Holy Spirit, I want to be free from the control of shame. Help me to see how shame controls me. Help me identify shame from the past and ways I seek to avoid shame in the present. Amen

Reflect and Respond

As the Holy Spirit brings things to your mind, write down how shame controls your thinking, moods, actions, or words. Knowing how you are controlled by shame will help you get free from shame in the next few days.