LOVE COVERS SHAME

Last time, I talked about forgiveness. “Forgiveness is an act of Love. Love covers shame.”

The question is, how do we walk this out?

When a person is hurt, usually their first instinct is to expose the shame of the offender. Forgiveness, at least up front, does not come natural. What seems natural is consequence. After all, having no consequence isn’t fair. If you hurt, shouldn’t they hurt? Even just a little!

Don’t we have rights? If someone hurts you, shouldn’t you respond in a way that makes you feel better?  Aren’t you a victim? Does God now give you the permission to sin in return? We are, despite our circumstances, responsible for our actions and reactions. “Against You, and You alone, have I sinned…” (Psalm 51:4)

Let’s face it, our natural reaction to pain is defense. You’re hurt. Maybe even angry. You think “How could they do this to me?” Some things are hard to forgive. And the degree varies from person to person.

God’s love runs deep. He is a good Father. AND, He allows pain in our lives. What?! This can’t be God, it must be the Devil! But even if it’s a scheme of the Devil, remember, God is omniscient.

So, I believe, God’s intention in allowing pain is not to help you grow thick skin and learn to deal with it. Neither is it for you to figure out how to avenge yourself or to teach you a lesson. Do I dare say, it may be, to help you realize what you yourself are capable of?

God is not surprised by your pain. He is not surprised by the person’s sin that caused your pain. He knew they would sin. He knew it would hurt you. He knew you’d react. But, what He needed, was for you to know.

Behold, O My people, I will open your graves…” (Ezekiel 37:12). Oswald Chambers writes, “When God wants to show you what human nature is like separated from Himself, He shows it to you in yourself. If the Spirit of God has ever given you a vision of what you are apart from the grace of God (and He will only do this when His spirit is at work in you), then you know that in reality there is no criminal half as bad as you yourself could be without His grace”. He goes on to say that, “My grave” has been opened by God and “I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells” (Romans 7:18). God’s Spirit continually reveals to His children what human nature is like apart from His grace.”

There you have it. We are all capable (and have) sinned against God and hurt someone. At one time or another, you have been the offender and needed love to cover your shame.  If you paid attention, God was teaching you something about love and forgiveness.  When you can see yourself, it’s hard to stay in a stance of unforgiveness. This doesn’t mean that your hurt doesn’t matter or your anger is wrong. Feelings are feelings, but it’s what you do with those feelings that will show you if your response is you… or Jesus in you.

I believe this is the lesson in the trial. And we may fail. But God says mercies are new every morning. We are on a journey. A journey to allow Jesus to love through us.

True love insists on granting mercy. Love forgives and covers shame. Covering someone’s shame is to trust them to God and His consequences. Let Him do the work. Nothing you do can be bigger than what God Himself can do.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)...

Love covers shame.

Click here to Follow by Email