I am convinced both shame and pride walk hand in hand in our lives, yet here is a beautiful promise from the One Who loves us beyond reason…
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
Psalm 34:5
When Adam and Eve made a disastrous choice in the garden, it was marked with pride, but ended in shame. Pride, thinking they knew better than the Father who created and adored them; breathed life into them. Then, shame overwhelmed them for their grave mistake.
Shame. Well, it just makes us feel oh so unworthy. We want to find cover – we want to run, and we want to hide. Next, shame’s sister, pride, comes along and causes us to try to rise above our shame and say, “We can do it! We are better than shame!” Pride tells us we deserve more, causes us to be dissatisfied with our lives, and woos us to work harder to prove we are not shame-full. We are not comfortable in our own skin.
Only looking to King Jesus for our worth, acceptance, and love will break the cycle of shame and pride. And the promise? Freedom, radiant lives, and wholeness in Him alone. What are we waiting for?
From the 365 Day Devotional: Morning Moments.