Rising Above Life’s Trail Through Christ

02/18/24 – 03/08/24

No Shame

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  03/03/24

Shame is a powerful and damaging emotion. Have you ever felt shame or disgrace? Have you ever been ashamed of someone else? People can be ashamed of their appearance, their social status, or their family heritage—anything that they feel is unacceptable or unattractive. Shame is what we feel when we think that something about ourselves does not measure up to the expectations of others.

Where does shame come from? It is the child of fear and the cousin of timidity. In 2 Timothy 1, Paul warns Timothy about shame. Fear and shame are closely related. When we fear what others think of us, we feel ashamed and attempt to hide our “faults” from them. Unfortunately, many Christians have allowed the world to shame them into hiding the Gospel. They feel ashamed of Biblical morality and of following God’s standards. Paul encourages Timothy, “So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God” (2 Timothy 1:8).

No matter what we face, God’s power is with us. Even in the face of death, we shouldn’t let fear trap us. When Jesus died on the cross, He not only abolished death for His followers, He also abolished the fear of death. While we will all experience physical death, those of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior have the joy of anticipating eternal life with Jesus. We should feel honored to endure hardships for Christ—even death: “[I]f you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:16).

Prayer: Father, help me not to be ashamed of the Gospel. May I remember that I am Yours even in death. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” (Romans 1:16).