When Shame Still Has a Voice
Darius had done a lot right over the last few years—got sober, got saved, got serious about building a new life. From the outside, it looked like redemption was in full swing: steady job, deeper faith, even leading a men’s Bible study at his recovery center.
But sometimes, even when the fruit is good, the root still aches.
He had been with Lena—now his ex—for eight years before they finally married. She was loyal, steady, the kind of woman who made broken things feel safe. When he’d show up at midnight after working a long shift, she’d already have a hot meal waiting. No attitude. No complaints. Just love.
She wasn’t his wife yet, but she covered him like one.
He had a son from a previous relationship. The boy’s mother struggled with alcoholism, and the stability just wasn’t there. Lena stepped in—quietly, without fanfare—and made sure his son had what he needed. School clothes. Good food. A soft place to land. She didn’t owe him that, but she did it anyway.
She was the one who pushed for the marriage. Darius knew it was time, and he gave in to her ultimatum. It was overdue. It was right. But deep down, he was unsettled—panicked in a way he couldn’t explain or tame. He walked out on his marriage. No warning. No explanation. Just a trail of selfish decisions and unresolved pain.
Years later, after a long road of repentance and recovery, he made peace with Lena. She forgave him—fully. Graciously. She was still there for his son, but the shame Darius carried was too great—he just couldn’t look her in the face.
Shame has a way of doing that. Even after the apology. Even after years have passed, shame can sit in the quiet and whisper: You broke something you can’t fix.
But that’s not how God works. Romans 8:1 (NLT) tells us, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” That doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences. But it does mean there’s no life sentence.
Still, that freedom has to take root in your soul. Darius had repented. He was a new man. But he still carried the old shame—the shame that had driven him to alcohol and drugs after walking out on his son and his marriage. And even now, it still echoed: You’re disqualified.
But God doesn’t just forgive—He restores. Psalm 32:5 (NLT) reminds us, “Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide my guilt… And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” That’s the part we struggle with sometimes. The gone part. The truth that we don’t have to keep carrying what Jesus already nailed to the cross.
Maybe you’re where Darius was. You’ve confessed. You’ve changed. But there’s still a voice that says you can’t be fully free. That your past cancels your purpose. It doesn’t.
Isaiah 61:7 (NLT) gives us this promise: “Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” This is our Heavenly Father saying: I saw what you lost. I saw what you did. And I still have good for you.
So let go of the voice that says you’re not enough. Let go of the guilt that keeps dragging you back to old chapters. Let go of the shame that keeps you playing small.
You are not your past. You are not your worst moment. You are not what you broke.
You are His—redeemed, restored, and still deeply loved.
A Prayer for the One Wrestling with Shame
Dear Father God,
Thank You for being so patient with me. Even when I’ve struggled to forgive myself, You’ve never turned away. You saw the whole story—every failure, every choice I regret—and still chose to cover me with mercy. I confess that shame still tries to speak louder than Your truth. It sneaks in when I’m quiet and tells me I’m not worthy, not changed, not enough.
But I choose to believe what You say.
You say I’m forgiven.
You say I’m Yours.
You say I can walk free.
Please silence every voice of shame that tries to pull me back into what You’ve already delivered me from. Break the lie that says I have to keep paying for what Jesus already paid in full. Teach me how to live like I’m free—not because I’ve earned it, but because You are just that good.
And Father, forgive me for every sin—every time I chose my way instead of Yours. Work within me through Your precious Holy Spirit. Let the healing go all the way down to the roots, so I don’t just say I’m changed—I believe it.
Give me the courage to walk in Your truth. To speak with boldness. To serve with joy. To receive love without guilt. Thank You for restoring not just my path—but my identity.
In the precious and powerful name of Jesus Christ, I pray,
Amen.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Released – Breaking Free from the Things That Bind Us- Part 3: When Shame Still Has a Voice”, written for Springfield Fellowship © 2025. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.