3rd June 2024, 10:48, London
Have you ever been in a position where you’ve had to keep a secret from your loved ones because you’re afraid you’d be judged? Perhaps you got a bold promise from the Lord that seems grand and scary, and it sometimes feels like if I tell anyone they will judge me or probably even think I’m mad. So what do we do? We hide these secrets in our hearts and keep praying. I’ve found that sometimes this is probably the best course of action. A promise from the Lord is oftentimes a seed, and ought to be nurtured with deep care and shouldn’t be exposed too soon.
However in this story I’m not referring to the premature exposure of a seed. What I’m referring to is when it seems like the timeline you had envisioned for these big promises to come to pass lapse and you feel alone, scared and perhaps ‘silly’ for even daring to believe them. Has that ever happened to you? It’s certainly something I’ve walked through.
Over the last few years God has given me several staggering promises and each has made me ‘gulp’ because He gave me no timeline in terms of when each will come to pass. His promise was that they will happen as long as I stay close to Him.
As time passed, I noticed that I had picked up a very nasty emotion: shame. It may sound irrational, but hear me out. I’ve called this specific shame “the shame of still believing.” It’s one that creeps up because you still dare to believe what God has told you, even after many years have passed. It’s one that can arise when people around you, who once had faith in a promise you shared with them and rejoiced initially, now say, “You still believe it will happen? Be so for real!” Almost like, “Wake up and smell the coffee!”
Well, here’s a truth I know: there is no shame in believing that a promise that God gave you can still happen. The very fact that you still believe is a testament to your level of faith and trust in God. I love this scripture I stumbled on:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.””
Romans 1:16-17 NKJV
“I am not ashamed to tell people the good news. God uses that good news to show his great power. He uses it to save all people who believe in Jesus Christ. First, God saves all Jews who are believers. And he also saves all Gentiles who are believers.”
Romans 1:16 EASY
When the Holy Spirit pointed me to this scripture I didn’t see the connection initially. However as time passed, I sensed Him remind me that the gospel is also a promise from God. When we say ‘yes’ to Jesus, He inhabits our life immediately and we are saved. However, we don’t see the full effects of our salvation until after death and on the day of judgement. I won’t go super Christian on you so let’s pause on that.
If then, as a Christian you aren’t ashamed to believe in this promise that you can’t see that God has given you, then why will you feel ashamed for believing another promise that this same God has given you?
The position of longing and hoping that something or someone will change and be better is beautiful. It points to a heart that knows Jesus. One that believes though things may seem dire, because God has said, there is still room for good to come out of it. Haven’t you ever heard of the scripture which says:
“For with God nothing will be impossible.””
Luke 1:37 NKJV
Or in another translation (my favourite):
“For no word from God will ever fail.””
Luke 1:37 NIV
Why should believing what He told you incite shame? Jesus never stops believing in us. Never.
“Behold, I stand at the door [of the church] and continually knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him (restore him), and he with Me.”
Revelation 3:20 AMP
I hope that as you read this you will search your heart and see if there’s anything you secretly felt ashamed about for believing. If you find that there is, speak to God about it. I pray that as you do so, He will soothe your heart and teach you how to keep trusting in Him even when you don’t understand.
Shame is not of God so don’t be comfortable with it. To keep choosing to see good in situations and people is beautiful! It shows a compassionate and trusting heart. Such hearts usually attract God’s love, kisses and blessings. Shame is an arrow from the pit of hell to throw you off and keep you from staying in faith.
Don’t fall for it! Chin up!
All my love,
Tumi
P.s. this isn’t a call to hold on to something when God has asked you to walk away or let go. The point of this story is that when God gives you a promise and it’s taking a while to happen, ‘shame’ for believing isn’t something you should embrace. If God is asking you to walk away, it’s important to obey the instruction and process any emotion you have with him. I hope this helps and my inbox is always open.
