Rejected Shame

Have you ever felt shame over something? I have felt shame more than my share of times in my life and it feels awful. Who hasn’t felt it at some point? Sometimes shame comes from words that have been said that can’t be taken back. Sometimes we feel shame from something we have done and we would do anything to turn back time and change it. No matter the specific action, we are tormented with all kinds of thoughts where shame is concerned. “What was I thinking?” “I can never show my face again.” “What will they think of me?” “I can’t believe I did that.” “Why did I do that?” “I’m worthless.” “I should have known better.” “I’m such a failure.” “What kind of Christian am I?”

I don’t know where I would be today if I still carried shame around with me like a purse on my shoulder. Praise God, he took it away. If you’re feeling shame today, here’s a nugget of truth for you to chew on. I hope it brings you as much delight as it did to me.

“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 NASB

There’s an amazing little phrase tucked in that verse that I love, “despising the shame”. The definition of despise according to my concordance is “to reject or scorn”. What do you do when you reject something? It’s cast aside. Something you reject is something that you want to have no connection with you and you certainly don’t want to own it.

Now for that little word that gives us such a heavy weight – “shame”. Jesus endured the cross. What shame was there that day? Mine, yours, and every person you can think of – their shame was there too. There was plenty of shame hanging around. If that wasn’t enough, crucifixion was a very humiliating death of that time, which was certain to provide plenty more shame. The enemy’s tactics did not work with Jesus like they do with us though, the scripture says Jesus despised the shame – He rejected it. It had no place with Him. He didn’t own it and it wasn’t going to own Him. He accepted no connection with it.

I can just picture Him taking that shame and slinging it as far as His mighty hand would send it and then immediately marching confidently, head held high, to take His place, at the right hand of God. He had nothing to be ashamed of, and since He lived a sinless life and was on that cross in your place, neither do you.

Dear sisters, shame is not of God. Reject it. It does not own you and you don’t have to own it.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those that are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

If you are in Him, there is no shame for you. It is not yours. There is one who wants to heap it on you and watch you pack it around as if it belongs to you, but live by Jesus example and despise it, get mad at it, reject it. Glare your eyes at that shame like its your worst enemy. Turn and walk away from it. Jesus already defeated it.

Jesus, for some reason this word is so real to me. It may not speak to anyone else today as it has to me, but it makes me see you so strong and so powerful. If you can despise enough shame for the sins of the entire world, I believe you have made me strong enough to despise the shame I face in this life. I see you acting in your authority and it excites me to see you defiant of the enemy and to know that you did this all in defense of me. You were victorious over death, hell, and the grave and You are MINE!

Amy Dotson, RPDOTK (Royal Princess Daughter Of The King)