THE
Have you ever had feelings
that you are hopelessly flawed,
fundamentally bad, defective,
insufficient, invalid or unworthy
of love or belonging? Have you
ever had a fear of being found out,
being abandoned or revealing your
real self to others? Chances are you
have been, and are suffering from
shame.
Guilt is a painful feeling of regret,
remorse and responsibility for
harm caused when we hurt
someone or do something wrong.
Guilt has the power to reveal sin
and thanks to our conscience, guilt
is what we should experience as
soon as we sin. Guilt leads us to
repentance. God has given us guilt
as a tool to bring us to repentance.
Guilt is a gift to restore relationship
with God. Guilt focuses on our
behaviour – what we do wrong.
In contrast to guilt, shame
(‘false guilt’), is a tool of satan to
damage our identity and destiny.
Shame produces a deep feeling of
uncleanness, wrongness, feeling
inadequate, unworthy or bad.
Shame can be such an extreme
feeling that we feel as if we want
to evaporate and die. Shame is a
matter of identity, not an issue of
behaviour. Shame tempts us to
hide parts of us that we believe
are unattractive and unacceptable.
Shame prevents us from walking
in healthy self respect and dignity.
Shame hinders our ability to love
others, to see God as He truly is or
accurately hear His voice.
Ultimately, shame prevents us
from walking in our true identity
and calling and from fully
appropriating our inher