Peter had told Jesus that He would never forsake him, he would go to the grave with Him when Jesus told him he would deny him 3 times before the rooster crowed. His passionate love for the Messiah was beautiful and strong. Yet hours later, Peter was dying with remorse, weeping bitterly at the thought that he had just denied Christ. It happened just as Jesus had said.
What would have happened if Peter decided to agree with shame from that choice? He could have easily felt the need to make his own punishment of excusing himself from ministry, not being worthy of who Christ called him to be.
Have you ever regretted a poor choice so much that shame overtook you? Did you find yourself choosing consequences for yourself? I wonder if God chose those or if you could have been punishing yourself. It sure seems like the enemy wants to use shame to excuse us from the table…”you don’t deserve to be there or to do that!”
If Peter would have punished himself and thought, ‘I am unworthy to carry out God’s word over my life’, where would the church be today? He was the Rock Christ started the entire church with. He could have had some time thinking that, and he would be right, but it’s not about him. It’s about who God is…Forgiver and Restorer, and about what He is doing, not what we are or are not doing.
If you have shame over something you have done or not done, forgive yourself. You are human. That’s why you need Jesus. He didn’t die for nothing. Then repent for agreeing with shame, kick shame out of your life, and choose your new thoughts about who you are that agree with Christ. Now you can move on in freedom. Bless you, friend.