We are starting up the Bride's study again next Tuesday. I love being with these young women! They are so refreshing and real. We deal with the hard issues of marriage and often someone ends up in tears...they feel they are failing, there is struggle within the relationship, or they are simply feeling overwhelmed.
We've dealt with everything from addictions (chemical, pornography, computer/video game, etc.) distractions, God's plan for marriage, submission, intimacy/sex, communication, fear, control as well as many other issues/topics. One place we often return to is shame. Shame invades our moments of nakedness in the marriage bed. Adam and Eve immediately felt "uncovered and naked" after the fall.
Shame whispers that we aren't good enough, not deserving and can even tell us that we do deserve to be treated wrongly by others. Shame tells us to hide. Shame can cause us to live in the fear of being found out. Shame wants to shut others out. Shame thwarts intimacy and relationships.
In Scripture, we see Jesus reaching out to women who were covered with shame. When others were embarrassed to be seen with them, he looked right at them, spent time with them, offered them healing in exchange for their shame. Jesus restored them, he was relational - he knew their past, and he offered them a future.
Shame will reveal itself in your marriage and in your marriage bed. If you are a child of God then you have nothing to do with shame - I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. Psalm 34:4-5.
No matter what you have done, no matter what you have been - Christ has covered your shame - you are free to love and to live in the fullness of Christ - you are radiant, Beloved - never covered again, with shame!
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