While there’s truth in the idea that some things require discipline rather than prayer, it’s important to consider how this perspective can affect us emotionally. I want to ensure that this message doesn’t lead to feelings of shame or pressure to perform. And I think that images like the one shown above, which are so commonly shared across social media with little or no context, can spark a panicked leap in our hearts toward perfectionism and performance. We might, out of instinct, scramble to justify, run from, or punish ourselves for our perceived success or failure at doing enough or doing the right thing for God. On the one side, we proclaim ourselves righteous, and on the other, we find ourselves buried in shame. On either side, we are scrambling to avoid failure, at proving our righteousness to God as if we were the ones who created our own righteousness. Our righteousness comes from God alone, who calls us to live by grace, not faultlessness.
Instead of bullying ourselves and reacting to our perception of God from an anxious or disgusted form of perfectionism, it is better that we instead embrace the liberty of grace and obey out of confidence that He is faithful and redeems our lives moment by moment. We can fully embrace the reality of 1st John 1:9 (naming our sins to God and being confident that we are immediately and fully forgiven). Walking in grace, applying the promise of grace in our thoughts emotions, and actions, turns the glory back to God while we experience His joy and unwavering love. There is such a thing as "Godly sorrow" (2nd Cor. 7:10) which leads to repentance, but there is no place for shame and the self-rejection that so often follows. To hold onto sorrow and guilt after being called righteous by God is actually choosing to hold onto our shackles, and is in fact, a covert form of self-righteousness.
Godly sorrow has more in common with grieving over the things which break the heart of God and which move us into courageous and loving righteous action. Godly sorrow encourages us to turn back to God, while shame drives us away.
Shame likes to convince us to hide from God and from others. It separates and condemns. It even drives us away from who God intended us to be by causing us to reject and run from ourselves.
Adam and Eve attempted to conceal their shame in the Garden of Eden by clothing themselves. They not only covered their physical bodies but also tried to mask their deeds, lies, and refused to acknowledge their wrongdoing. This only created unnecessary distance between them and God, as well as from their true nature as created by God - to be open, truthful, courageous, content, and in intimate communion with one another, the earth, its inhabitants, and with God.
Striving for perfection, which is an unattainable goal reserved only for God, can quickly lead to self-loathing and ultimately result in rejecting oneself.
When you sense the burden of shame, recall who identifies you by your sin (Satan) and who recognizes you as children of the Most High (The Lord). To discover more of who you are, dedicate time to discover the nature of God and how His grace can change your life.
It is important to remember that our strength to grow and change comes from God's love and grace, not from self-condemnation. We are not required to be perfectly disciplined, but to love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength. This love involves obedience and action, but our connection with God does not rely on us nor can it be attained through shame. God wants us to obey Him because He understands how fulfilling and life-giving it can be. However, it is only through Christ and His spirit within us that we can achieve this, as we need to be spiritually adopted into God's family to truly appreciate union with Him, and the eternal life that awaits us.
God's focus is not on restricting us with righteousness. Instead, He is focused on liberating those who are captive. We should walk in confidence, not in shame, even when we make mistakes.
Blessings,
Hannah
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