SHAME-Hiding Something?

Shame is another cause of suicide today.

Shame comes when people fear being exposed for the evil they've done. They hide it for as long as possible, and for some, when it is no longer possible, suicide is the only escape. This trend of covering, habouring and hiding has existed even from the beginning.

After eating of the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve hid themselves among the trees and tried to cover their nakedness with leaves. But the Lord asked them point blank "hast thou eaten of the tree...?" What they tried to cover was plain in the sight of God and as judgement they were expelled from the garden.

After Cain slew Abel, the Lord came asking him for his brother, to which he replied "am I my brother's keeper?" Without skipping a beat, God responded "thy brother's blood crieth to me from the ground". Alas what he tried to hide was thrown in his face and with it, judgement from God.

In both scenarios both did evil in the sight of God. In both scenarios God asked them for what they did. In both scenarios they made efforts to mask what they ACTUALLY did.

I wonder, what would have transpired if Adam simply said, "Lord, I have sinned. Please forgive me"? What would have happened if Cain just said "Lord, I don't know but jealousy got the better of me and I killed Abel"?

Let's travel a few thousand years down the line where David was confronted by Nathan the prophet for a double felony of adultery and murder. As King he had all the means to cover up his deeds, silence the seer and maintain his untarnished reputation as the sweet psalmist of Israel. But look at the beauty of this man who cared less for name and glory. He immediately and penitently acknowledged, "I have sinned against the Lord". For this immediate confession there was immediate forgiveness. 2 Samuel 12:13 says, "the Lord hath also put away thy sin: thou shalt not die."

Dear reader, if you are burdened by shame for things you have done, there is pardon for the penitent. Man's applaud and esteem is not worth it because your own conscience will testify against you. If David received pardon for such heinous crimes, there is sure release for you today. No evil deed is greater than the power of God's love for it can reach down to the depth of your shame and lift you up.

David did not lose popularity, instead he was loved even more by the people, and finally had a blessed end when God took him home in His own time. Yes, if you feel that you will lose friends when you come clean, you will be surprised how many better friends you will have.

Seek out a mature minister of the Gospel and relay before him to God the things you have done. Surely there will be forgiveness for you and above all a new lease of life to live for His glory.

An Adage: It is better to be cursed for who you are, then to be praised for who you are not!