Embracing God's Grace: Overcoming Shame and Finding Redemption

Shame must be the greatest weapon the enemy uses against God's people. Yet it's a dead, futile, brittle, and useless weapon against God's amazing, matchless grace.

"7x77," He exclaimed! That's how much you should forgive your brother in a single day. No matter what you're struggling with, no matter how great it may seem, the truth is, it's no match for the Lord and the work He will do in your life!

The first step to overcoming sin in your life is accepting His grace. This is true repentance, turning and reaching for His hand, moving in His direction. It's impossible to do without His grace because, without it, we are all in old, raggedy clothes. How can we truly move in His direction with our old clothes? If we do so, we are drenched in the sin we were born into in this fallen world. But with His grace, you can overcome anything!

With His grace, we throw off the rags and put on the new garments He gives us. We accept not our good deeds and works, but His righteousness. We walk and shine as royal sons and daughters of the Most High God! And should we fall again, there is grace again. Lift your eyes to the Lord, reach out your hand again, shake off the old clothes, shake off the shame, and wrap yourself in forgiveness.

Remind yourself of WHO YOU ARE! YOU ARE HIS! From this place, God will teach you, counsel you, heal you, nurture you, protect you, make you into a new person, show you how to walk in His likeness, help you mature, and grow in character. God will do a work in you from this place!

Shame keeps us from getting there. It lies to us and keeps us from fellowship with the Lord. When the enemy succeeds, we cut ourselves off from the One who died that we might live.

But what if I mess up again, you might say? "7X77" is what the Lord responded to the man: "What if my brother sins against me, how many times should I forgive him in a day? 7x77."

If the Lord would command a mere man to do such a thing, how much more is He willing to do the same?

Romans 5:20-21 (ESV) - "Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Lean into grace and make that BIG repentance for your sins. Let them die at the cross and move forward in righteousness. Walk in your new garments, and watch what God will do as you walk with Him. Those things will fall off and fade away. They will lose their hold. You will grow healthy and whole. He will not fail you!