Shame is a painful emotion that is caused by either guilt, failure, or corruption. It often results in a belief that you are worthless, unacceptable, and have no value. Shame makes you believe that you deserve to be scorned and rejected.
So shame and guilt aren’t the same?
Many mix up shame and guilt, but as you can see, they are not the same.
- Guilt is the fact that you are responsible for an offense and being liable to punishment.
- Shame on the other hand is the feeling of being worthless just because of who you are.
In other words, it is the difference between making a mistake and thinking you are a mistake.
Effects of shame
Once shame sets in, we literally become bound to it and we become a slave to fear. We constantly try to build walls to hide behind. We have this fear that someone, even GOD, will find out who we really are and then we become rejected.
And sometimes we let people in. We show them a glimpse of our struggle, and their reaction is far from good.
My struggle with shame
After what happened with my abuser, I told my best friend thinking she would be there for me. But the complete opposite happened. She called me a liar. She told me I was trying to cover being a slut by crying rape. Just confiding in the wrong person turned everyone against me. It wound up in more sexual abuse from other people, because “word got around.”
Honestly speaking, my journey was not easy. I couldn’t bare to think that my best friend thought such horrible things about me. It was somehow my fault because everyone said the same thing about me. I convinced myself that I was guilty, and that I deserved everything that was happening to me. I hid what was happening to me from everyone because I couldn’t take another hideous remark. But no matter what I did or tried to hide, I couldn’t cover the shame from myself.
No matter how much I tried to detach myself, I was still a wreck.
I just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear from the world. Everywhere I went, I felt as if everyone could see right through me and they were judging me. I put on the crown of shame and I carried the guilt of my abusers. My life was a complete disaster. I hated what I’d become. I didn’t think I was worthy of living anymore because I was too dirty. Life had become complete darkness and I felt abandoned. I was hopeless. I felt unworthy of being loved or even living anymore.
But GOD met me in my despair! HE picked up my broken pieces, and put them back together. GOD reminded me that I was HIS daughter and HE loved me. HE showed me the promises HE had for me. And if I didn’t put my complete trust in HIS promises, I don’t know where I’d be right now.
There is power in the name of JESUS!
I cannot stress the fact that at this weakest part of our lives, there is the STRONGEST POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS!
I fell into some of the darkest of places and the lowest of lows. It was in these moments GOD came to me and rescued me. HE took off that crown of shame and reminded me that I was the daughter of the MOST HIGH KING! HE gave me HIS strength to overcome every single word the enemy tried to bind me to.
The world may try to tell you that you are unworthy if you uncover your true self, but GOD loves every single part of you. HE made every single cell in your body. HE knew you and called you by name, even before you were born!
GOD has given me the strength to be able to tell my story and know my worth, no matter what the world tries to tell me. If GOD could do that for me, I know GOD can do it for every single person who is reading this!
There is breaking of chains happening right now. I can feel it! GOD loves you so much and HE wants to rewrite your story. HE wants to heal your wounds because you are HIS child. GOD just wants you to put your trust in HIM. In the weakest moments, GOD makes you the strongest!
We are here!
I know this process can be difficult, and that is why we are here. You are in a safe haven. You won’t be judged for anything you say or feel. We want to help you on your healing journey, and we would love to pray for you. Please do not hesitate to contact us; whether it be for prayer, for encouragement, or to let us know GOD has rescued you.
And remember; you are loved, you are valued, and you are not alone!