Peace: With Myself

 Shame usually follows a pattern:

First, we experience an intensely painful event.

Second, we believe the lie that our pain and failure is who we are - not just something we've done, or had done to us - and we experience shame.

Finally, our feelings of shame trap us into thinking that we can never recover - that, in fact, we don't even deserve to.

1. We need to understand the forgiveness of God.

- God is eager to forgive us of our sin.  

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You. Psalm 86:5

- God’s forgiveness has no end.  

Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope;  Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

- God forgives our sin and forgets about our sin.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”  Isaiah 1:18

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”  Jeremiah 31:34

2. We have never made it right with those that we have hurt.

This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you,  abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. Matthew 5:23-24

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18

(I wish you could) grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:18-19

People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy. Proverbs 28:13