Shame and guilt plaguing you?

When Guilt and Shame Won't Let Go

When guilt and shame follow us, and we know we shouldn't be living under them, what do we do? How do we rid ourselves of emotions that rob us of the joy of the Lord? How do we forgive ourselves?

"There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus... For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death."
Romans 8:1–2

These verses are eternal truth. What we feel does not change what God has declared. So if we are forgiven, why do guilt, shame, and self-unforgiveness still linger?  We’ve forgiven others.  We’ve released the trauma but still feel condemned.

The answer is that these emotions are not the problem, they are the symptoms of something tangible that was left behind as a result of a trauma(s).

They point to an injury(s) in the soul caused by a past trauma, painful event, or sinful choice. Just as a physical injury can leave behind a scar, knot, or cyst, a wound to the soul can leave behind an ungodly substance that doesn't belong there. The Holy Spirit will often reveal it to look like something as simple as a small rock, a soft glob, or another object. Whatever it looks like, it is the residue of the wound.  This occurs when shame, guilt, and unforgiveness are allowed to percolate for long periods of time.

The ungodly substance that remains continually produces feelings of guilt, shame, and unforgiveness—like an ungodly generator of pain.  The Accuser likes to keep old memories energized, hoping we will continue believing the lie that we are still condemned. But Jesus went to the Cross not only to forgive our sins, but also to remove their effects from our lives.

The shame of believing you did something bad, has now shifted to believing you are bad.   This is why you can’t forgive yourself.  It’s time to see it for what it is, a tangible obstruction that can easily be removed.  It’s not you.  

Today, let Him remove that obstruction.

Take a tissue and place it over your heart, or wherever you feel the emotional pain. Let the tissue represent that ungodly substance. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you its tangible form (rock, glob, etc.).  This ungodly substance is not the event; it is what was deposited after the event.  It serves as a reminder of your participation and generates the negative “feelings”. Think of it as an object that is playing a recorded message on repeat.

Then confess to the Lord that you have believed the lie connected to it. Renounce that lie and thank Him that the blood of Jesus has washed you clean. Receive His forgiveness.

Confession is not saying you will never sin again, it is saying, “Father your Word is right”.

Now picture that little rock or glob being lifted out. Remove the tissue from your body and hold it up to Jesus or place it at the foot of the Cross.

Then throw the tissue away, or even better, throw it behind your back, remembering Isaiah 38:17:

"You have cast all my sins behind Your back."

When the source is removed, the emotions attached to it lose their power. The guilt, shame, and unforgiveness no longer have anything to feed on because the ungodly substance that produced them is gone.

Only Jesus offers this kind of freedom. No other religion or philosophy can remove both sin and its lingering effects. That is why the gospel is truly Good News.

Continue renewing your mind and walking closely with Jesus. Don't meditate on yesterday's wounds; meditate on His truth. Ask Him to show you what He sees when He looks at you.

Stop looking backward. Look to Christ. The Cross has made you free and forgiven.

“Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bondage of our past.”  Gal 5:1 TPT

*I realize this devotional may seem a little outside the box of what we normally share. However, I felt impressed to share this aspect of inner healing and deliverance. Because this is a short devotional, it is not the appropriate format to provide the full biblical and theological foundation behind these principles. If this resonates with you or leaves you with questions, we encourage you to join one of our Masterclasses and follow us for upcoming teachings, seminars, and events where we explore these topics in much greater depth. *