Talking of shame, it`s amazing how many of us learn to live with our fears. If we don`t face feelings of shame or inferiority, they grow to be part of us.As intimidating as shame is, it can often become a kind of comfort zone. We develop coping strategies and start to believe that this is just part of our character.
Whenever I see beautiful houses with bars at the window I think of the windows of our hearts. Bars can be great. I lived in a house with bars myself. I was glad of them. They were a deterrent to intruders. But bars also prevent those inside from getting out.
Often, instead of facing the bars that have built up around our heart, we dress them up. Like these houses with their beautiful flowers.
Jesus didn´t come to dress up our inferiority or to beautify our shame. He came to banish it. You don`t have to make the most of your fears. You can give them to Jesus. When we truly surrender the security and familiarity of those things that have a negative hold on us, Jesus meets us with freedom and mercy. We learn to think differently, speak differently and respond differently.
We learn to walk free.
Galatians 5.1: It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.
