So much of our irrational belief system is affected by the vicious impact of guilt and shame concerning both our past and our present experiences. Healthy guilt can and should be effective in helping us learn and grow from our experiences. Shame, however is a trap set by our two-headed adversary that is both psychological and spiritual. Our psychological enemy is our mind and more specifically our memory, controlled by the automatic processes of our brain. Our spiritual enemy is the messengers of Satan seeking to infiltrate the psychological processes of our brain. Shame is the weapon of mass destruction used by this two-headed enemy to immobilize us, then fire shots at us until we cannot take any more punishment and surrender. It’s when we surrender to shame that we are defeated, destroyed, and eventually die.
This lesson examines the differences between healthy guilt (godly sorrow) that leads to repentance and growth; as opposed to the illness of shame (worldly sorrow) borne out of failed, usually unrealistic expectations of the past lived out in the present and paralyzing potential for the future. It is crucial that participants develop a keen understanding of the difference between scars—the evidence of healed wounds that lack power, and scabs—wounds only in the process of healing that are easily opened up by circumstantial friction and lead to set backs.
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10)