Why Shame Is a Liar: How to Overcome Shame as a Christian
The Voice of Shame
It whispers that you are unworthy, that your past defines you, that if people knew the real you—the mistakes, the regrets, the sins—they would avoid you like the plague. It tells you that God could never truly forgive you, that you are too broken to be used by Him.
So you hide. You bury your past, pretending it never happened, hoping no one ever sees the “real you”. The version of you that you believe is unworthy. You sit in church, raise your hands in worship, and still feel the weight of everything you wish you could erase. You tell yourself that grace is not really for you.
But here’s the truth: Shame is not from God.
Jesus did not die on the cross for you to live in the shadows of your past. He died on the cross to redeem you from your past. He did not take on the weight of your sin so you could carry it yourself. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” That means your past has no power over you. When God looks at you, He sees Christ’s righteousness, not your sin.
Yet, so many of us let shame control us. We believe its lies, and in doing so, we rob ourselves of the freedom Christ has already won for us. Even worse, we rob God of the chance to use our past to bring Him glory.
Step into the light of God’s grace and finally believe that He is bigger than your worst mistakes.
Shame in the Bible: What Scripture Says About Guilt and Forgiveness
The desire to hide sin is nothing new. Shame has been a part of the human story since the fall. As soon as Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they became aware and ashamed of their nakedness (Genesis 3:7-10). Ever since then, like Adam and Eve, we hide our imperfections, hoping that no one notices and calls us out.
Shame tells you that God will react to your sin with anger and abandonment. In reality, God responds to our shame with grace and kindness. Instead of yelling at Adam and Eve for their nakedness, He provided them with garments to wear (Genesis 3:21).
The reality is, shame is not from God. Shame tells you that your identity is in your sin. God tells you that your identity is in Him. You are not your sin. You are who God says you are.
Who Does God Say You Are?
God declares powerful truths about who you are in Him.
Through Christ, you are the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).
You are royalty (Ephesians 1:5).
You are not an accident (Psalm 139:14).
God delights in you (Proverbs 3:12).
God says the opposite of shame. Shame says you are dirty. God says you are righteous. Shame says you are worthless. God says you are royalty. Shame says your life has no meaning. God says He created you for a purpose. Shame says no one likes you. God says He delights in you.
Which voice will you believe?
Shame vs. Conviction: What’s the Difference?
“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).
This verse highlights the difference between shame and conviction. Shame is a worldly grief. It convinces you of lies about yourself. Shame fills you with regret.
Conviction is a godly grief that leads to repentance. It does not lead to a sorrowful regret, but rather to restoration. It reminds you of who God says you are. It graciously raises you to a higher standard.
Shame focuses on your failures, but conviction points to God’s grace. Shame tells you that your actions define you, but conviction reminds you that God is the solution. What God has done for you is far greater than anything you have done.
God is the point. Not us. Shame makes it about our sin, not God’s power.
Jesus Wipes Away All Sin and Shame
Jesus did all the work needed on the cross. His suffering and death cover every sin you could ever commit. There is no way for you to outdo His grace with sin (Romans 5:20). He will never reject you, no matter what you do. That is the beauty of the gospel. He sees all and knows all.
Consider how Jesus treated the woman caught in adultery in John 8:10-11. While He does not condone her sin, He does not condemn her. He graciously lifts her up in her sin, loving her, while calling her to repentance.
Jesus responds to the repentant sinner with grace and restoration, just as He did with the woman caught in adultery. He sees you as who He created you to be, not as who your shame tells you that you are.
Why Hiding in Shame Is Selfish and Spiritually Harmful
Shame is inherently self-centered. It keeps your focus on yourself — your failures, your reputation, your fears — rather than on God’s mercy and grace. Shame makes you worry that others look down on you, distracting you from looking up to God.
Consider the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). After living in sin and squandering the inheritance, the prodigal son lived in shame. He began to long to fill his belly with pig slop. Shame had twisted his mind so much that he longed to eat what was meant for the pigs. It also made him believe that his father would be angry upon his return. He knew his father’s character. He should have known that his father would accept him with open arms, yet he still was afraid. Shame twisted his desires and tried to convince him to stay away from his father.
God uses our past sin for His glory, turning even our deepest failures into testimonies of His power (Romans 8:28). Our testimonies are powerful. Your story with sin could be the thing that sets someone else free. Holding your story back out of shame could be holding that person back from the freedom that they are craving.
How to Overcome Shame and Walk in God’s Grace
Scripture outlines several things that you can do to overcome shame. The number one thing is to choose to trust God over shame. Trust that He is loving, gracious, and forgiving. As Hebrews 4:16 says, approach the throne of grace with boldness. Realize your true identity as a royal child of the Most High, not as a shameful sinner.
Confess your sin to God and to your brothers and sisters. Sin and shame thrive in secrecy. As uncomfortable as it is, expose your sin. Shine the light on it. The more you share it, the less power it will have over you.
Use your past to glorify God. Tell your story. Let His love, grace, and mercy shine through the things you are not proud of. Let His power show and inspire others.
Realize that your past does not define you. You are not who you used to be. You have been made new in Christ. Walk in that newness. Do not let the past weigh you down.
Let Go of Shame Today
If you feel trapped in shame, remember: Jesus did not die for you to live in hiding. He died for you to live fully, without fear. Release your past. Shine God’s light on it.
If you need more guidance on overcoming shame from your past, book a free call with us today. We’d love to walk with you on this journey.
