Let’s talk about time travel.
While I am a Sci-Fi fan, I am not talking about the paradox of going back in time and killing your grandfather. If you were never born, how could you have traveled in time in the first place?
I am talking about how easy it is to get our focus stuck in the past or future.
Like many people, when my focus gets stuck in the past I inevitably end up in a place of regret and shame.
By the way, shame is not the same thing as guilt. Guilt has gotten a bad name in our postmodern age. If you have done something wrong and you feel guilty, GOOD. That is the gift of a conscious and the Spirit of God. It’s like pain – if you burn your hand you feel pain and that pain makes you move your hand from what is burning it. So pain and guilt are gifts to let you know something is wrong and needs to change.
Shame, on the other hand, is about your identity. Guilt says ‘I have done something wrong,’ but Shame says ‘I am wrong. The wrong I did is my identity and I can never be anything but that wrong.’ Shame if the notion that tells me ‘If anyone knew the truth about me they would reject me.’
When we do wrong (Sin) we can be forgiven and move on or get stuck and make it our identity. In the book of James we are offered a solution to our Sin problem. Interestingly enough, Shame also offers a “solution” so we have a choice to make.
Solution to sin: James 5:16 "Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. "
Shame’s solution: Hide your Sin because you will be rejected if anyone knows the truth about you.
The Biblical solution to shame is community, fellowship and prayer - the very opposite solution offered by Shame. After the fall in Genesis 3 Adam and Eve, were filled with shame and followed its plan. They hid from each other by covering themselves; they hid from God and then blamed others.
God has a better plan. Call the feeling of Shame what it is: a lie. Trust God and follow His advice.
Find a trusted fellowship (A Band of Brothers) and enter real community. Tell the truth good and bad; pray for one another and be healed.
The next time you are tempted to “time travel” into the past, say NO, because Shame, your enemy lives there.
Instead live in the moment and enjoy today
Next time thoughts on time travel into the future
For now Carpe diem ~ Seize the Day! Today is the only day you have so live it to the fullest
For the Kingdom and our Glorious King,
John
