Shame and Guilt: The Terrible Two

Zephaniah 3:11
In that day you will feel no shame because of all your deeds by which you have rebelled against me.....

Shame....
An emotion or feeling directed toward who you are as a person.
Guilt....
An emotion or feeling directed toward what you have done.
I call these the big two.
Seem to go hand and hand with addiction.
A double punch that lays you low and steps on your neck to keep you down.
The thoughts surrounding these two emotions are like a bad movie playing over and over in your head.
You keep seeing the terrible things you have done in the past.
You see faces of those you have cheated, swindled,and stolen from the very ones who love you.
You hear the voices telling you..."Why don't you quit..why don't you just quit? You're killing your Mother!"
Shame and Guilt pile on to crush you down.

The answer to this dilemma?
Jesus....
"Michael...you seem to think Jesus is the answer to everything."
Well, isn't He?
To me He is.
Why?
Because I know how my life was before I answered His call to follow Him.
I know who I was before I surrendered life and will over to His care.
I know what a goober I was before I said, "Yes!" to Jesus.

I have watched over the past 15 years as men and women have answered the call to follow Jesus.
I have watched hard, calloused, not caring individuals, over a period of time, turn into loving, vibrant people of God.
I have seen people who had no hope in their life or future....
Surrender to Christ and be filled with hope and promise and strength to face the problems they had ran away from so long.
That is why Vineyard Recovery is so important to me.
It is a place where we can gather, as a community of people who are searching for the truth about this Jesus.
Now we don't just talk about Jesus.
We don't just teach about Jesus.
We don't just sing about Jesus.
We invite the Kingdom of God down into that room and allow Him the freedom to do what He wants to do in our lives.
Sometimes what He does brings tears to our eyes....
Sometimes we are filled with such joy that we feel as though we are going to float right through the skylight.
No matter what transpires, we all leave that meeting changed.
Why not come and join us tonight.
Bring any shame and guilt you may have with you....
Leave it there and go away renewed and filled with the Spirit of God.

God on you...
mb