Day 13 - Spirit of Shame
Read Matthew 11:28-30
The story of Gomer is a perfect illustration of how shame keeps spiritual sons and daughters from accepting God’s forgiveness and living the life God had in mind when He brought us into His Kingdom.
You can read her story in the book of Hosea. Her reputation was not a good one. As a prostitute, Gomer definitely not the ideal prophet’s wife. How did she fit into the community? Was she welcomed among the other women of her town? Did the men look upon her with dignity and respect? Was she able to let the past be the past and live in freedom?
Shame is a difficult thing to walk out of – much more so when brothers and sisters push you down each time you begin to rise up. The Bible doesn’t tell us what Gomer experienced within her community. Perhaps they were welcoming and forgiving.
Perhaps.
I hope they were, but we have all seen or experienced the unforgiving, condemning and judgmental side of Christian society. If that is how Gomer was treated, then how much harder it must have been for her to be able to accept Hosea’s love and devotion.
Either way, Gomer’s choices were her own to make. Difficult as her life may have been, she can blame no one for the choices she made when she willingly walked away from her husband and children to go back into a life of adultery.
Let’s look deeper at the issue of shame and discover how it might be robbing us from the life God has for us.
The story of Gomer is a perfect illustration of how shame keeps spiritual sons and daughters from accepting God’s forgiveness and living the life God had in mind when He brought us into His Kingdom.
You can read her story in the book of Hosea. Her reputation was not a good one. As a prostitute, Gomer definitely not the ideal prophet’s wife. How did she fit into the community? Was she welcomed among the other women of her town? Did the men look upon her with dignity and respect? Was she able to let the past be the past and live in freedom?
Shame is a difficult thing to walk out of – much more so when brothers and sisters push you down each time you begin to rise up. The Bible doesn’t tell us what Gomer experienced within her community. Perhaps they were welcoming and forgiving.
Perhaps.
I hope they were, but we have all seen or experienced the unforgiving, condemning and judgmental side of Christian society. If that is how Gomer was treated, then how much harder it must have been for her to be able to accept Hosea’s love and devotion.
Either way, Gomer’s choices were her own to make. Difficult as her life may have been, she can blame no one for the choices she made when she willingly walked away from her husband and children to go back into a life of adultery.
Let’s look deeper at the issue of shame and discover how it might be robbing us from the life God has for us.
Ask yourself:
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Analyze your internal dialogue. Is it negative? Or truth?
Are you able to see the difference?
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Have you sabotaged a relationship, blessing or a
gifting in your life? If yes, ask
yourself what root fear caused you to do that?
§
How transparent are you?
§
Do you fear rejection if you were to be
completely vulnerable?
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Do you allow others to abuse you?
§
Do you abuse yourself?
§
Does shame keep you from allowing yourself the
gift of a healthy body? Better finances? Peace?
§
Is your service in the body of Christ done out
of love for God and others or is it to win the approval of God or man?
Start from the beginning:
For Day 14, read Chapters 14-15 of All the King's Orphans and Week 14 of the correlating Study Guide.
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