I Am Ashamed

By: Jenifer Metzger

If you are following along with the Woman to Woman Bible reading plan, this week we have been in the book of Ezra. Ezra sees the sin going on around him and cries out to God.

And I said: My God, I am

ashamed and embarrassed to

lift my face toward You, my

God, because our iniquities are

higher than our heads and our

guilt is as high as the heavens.

Ezra 9:6

Ezra felt shame and embarrassment for the sins. He knew the things they were doing went against God and it broke him to know that they were sinning against God Himself.

Do we feel shame and embarrassment at our sins? Do we feel shame over the sins going on around us? Or are we just nonchalant? "It's no big deal, we will repent of our sin and be ok." "But those aren't my sins, so it doesn't matter to me."

Oh! That we would feel shame and embarrassment! When we are nonchalant with sin, we are being prideful and arrogant, but God calls us to humble ourselves. He even promises that when we are humble, He will hear our prayers and forgive our sin.

And My people, who bear My name,
humble themselves, pray and seek My
face, and turn from their evil ways,
then I will hear from heaven, forgive
their sin, and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14

We must humble ourselves before God. We must recognize that our sin is cause for shame, guilt, and embarrassment. And we must recognize our need for a Savior to forgive our sins.

After we take our sin to God, we don't wallow in shame and embarrassment, God wants us to lay it as His feet and walk in forgiveness. But we must first allow the conviction of the Holy Spirit to come over us and prompt us to seek the face of God with humility.

Discussion:
1. Do you recognize shame as the conviction of the Holy Spirit prompting you to repentance?
2. Does sin of the world break your heart? Does it cause you to feel shame to the point of taking it to God?