By Shame: a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
As a human being, I mess up sometimes. And when I do, I cannot describe to you the amount of shame that I often feel.
You see, I feel as if I should be perfect, and I hold myself to this impossible standard. And when I fall, I kick myself and beat myself up over it.
But here’s the thing: God doesn’t expect us to be perfect, nor does he want us to feel shame. Jesus knew we would fail, which is why He died for us — to atone for our sins. All He asks is that we do our best and try. And in addition to washing away our sins, His blood covers sickness, condemnation, and shame.
When God sent His son down here to die for us, He did so knowing that we would stumble and fall on the journey. And that’s okay, just as long as we keep our eyes on the ground in order to prevent falling, and that we get back up again if we do fall.
God is there waiting with His hand held out, ready to help you up. He meets you where you are. So drop that shame and guilt, and get back up! Your journey is not over. Go and run it!
Maddisen Sauls is the smile and voice behind the Everyday Joy blog as well as the author of the Word of the Week posts and the editor of by leaps and bounds. Throughout her life, Maddisen has worked as a reporter for small town newspapers, a School Age and Preschool teacher, and has acquired her ministerial license.
An avid book reader and lover of the written word, Maddisen is passionate about using her favorite medium to reach the lost and the hurting, and to offer encouragement and hope to those struggling through life.
Following her battle with depression, Maddisen has made it her mission to help other people through this journey and to bring joy to the lives of the people around her.
You can find Maddisen on Instagram @maddisen.paige
by leaps and bounds 