Embracing Grace: Overcoming Shame Through Small Steps

 

Summary

In today's reflection, I shared a personal story about my dog, Baxter, who recently had to wear a "cone of shame" due to a sore. This cone, which made him look and feel defeated, reminded me of how shame can weigh heavily on our lives. Just as Baxter now wears a "collar of grace" instead, we too can find relief from shame through God's grace. This concept is deeply rooted in the story of Adam and Eve from Genesis, where shame entered the world after they chose to push God away. However, God’s grace offers us a way back to a life without shame.

The story of the shepherds in the field, visited by an angel announcing the birth of Jesus, illustrates this grace. The angel's message was one of joy and peace, not fear or shame. This is a powerful reminder that Jesus came to take away our shame and heal our wounds. The shepherds, considered lowly in society, were chosen to receive this message, showing that God's grace is available to everyone, regardless of status.

Reflecting on the healing stories of Jesus, such as the paralyzed man who was told to pick up his mat, we see that healing often requires action. Grace empowers us to take small steps, transforming our lives. This is echoed in Admiral McRaven's advice to make your bed every morning, a small act that can lead to a series of positive actions throughout the day. These small steps, though seemingly insignificant, are filled with divine purpose and presence.

Ultimately, we are called to live without shame, guilt, or pain. While these feelings may arise, they are not our dwelling place. Instead, we are invited to live in the peace and glory of God, taking small steps each day to reflect His presence in our lives. We are not alone; Jesus is with us, offering forgiveness and healing.

Key Takeaways:

1. Shame can feel like a heavy burden, much like the "cone of shame" on a dog. However, God's grace offers us a "collar of grace," freeing us from the weight of shame and allowing us to live vulnerably and authentically. [01:25]

2. The story of Adam and Eve illustrates how shame entered the world, but it also points to the hope of redemption. God's grace provides a way back to a life without shame, inviting us to live in His presence and peace. [02:06]

3. The angel's message to the shepherds is a powerful reminder that Jesus came to take away our shame and bring healing. This message of joy and peace is for everyone, regardless of status or past mistakes. [04:52]

4. Healing often requires action, as seen in the stories of Jesus healing the paralyzed. Grace empowers us to take small steps, transforming our lives and allowing us to testify to God's work in us. [07:59]

5. Small acts, like making your bed, can lead to a series of positive actions throughout the day. These seemingly insignificant steps are filled with divine purpose, reminding us that God inhabits small things and lowly people. [09:48]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:32] - Introducing Baxter
- [00:46] - The Cone of Shame
- [01:12] - Collar of Grace
- [01:39] - Genesis and the Entrance of Shame
- [02:18] - Flashing Lights and Warning Signs
- [03:03] - Personal Reflection on Shame
- [04:11] - The Angel's Message to the Shepherds
- [05:04] - Jesus Takes Away Our Shame
- [06:16] - Gregory the Great on Incarnation
- [07:19] - Healing and Action
- [08:29] - The Power of Small Steps
- [09:48] - God in Small Things
- [10:04] - Living Without Shame
- [10:30] - Final Encouragement

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 3:1-24
2. Luke 2:8-14
3. John 5:1-9

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Observation Questions:

1. In Genesis 3, what actions did Adam and Eve take after they realized their shame? How did God respond to their actions? [01:39]

2. According to the sermon, how did the shepherds react when the angel appeared to them, and what message did the angel bring? [04:11]

3. What specific instruction did Jesus give to the paralyzed man after healing him, and what was its significance? [07:31]

4. How does the story of Baxter and his "cone of shame" illustrate the concept of shame in our lives? [00:46]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the story of Adam and Eve in Genesis 3 illustrate the entrance of shame into the world, and what does this tell us about the human condition? [01:39]

2. The angel's message to the shepherds was one of joy and peace. How does this message contrast with the feelings of shame and fear that the shepherds might have experienced? [04:52]

3. In the healing of the paralyzed man, why might Jesus have instructed him to "pick up your mat"? What does this action symbolize in the context of grace and healing? [07:31]

4. Reflecting on the sermon, how does the concept of "small steps" relate to the process of healing and transformation in one's spiritual journey? [08:29]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt weighed down by shame. How can the concept of a "collar of grace" help you move past that shame and live more authentically? [01:25]

2. The shepherds received a message of joy and peace despite their lowly status. How can you embrace the message of grace in your own life, regardless of your past or current status? [05:04]

3. Consider the small steps you can take in your daily life that reflect God's presence. What is one small action you can commit to this week that might lead to a series of positive changes? [09:20]

4. How can you apply the lesson of making your bed as a metaphor for taking small, purposeful actions in your spiritual life? What is one "bed" you need to make this week? [09:48]

5. When feelings of shame, guilt, or pain arise, what practical steps can you take to ensure these feelings do not become your dwelling place? [10:04]

6. How can you actively seek God's forgiveness and healing in areas of your life where you feel stuck or paralyzed? What is one step you can take today to move forward? [10:48]

7. Reflect on the idea that God inhabits small things and lowly people. How does this perspective change the way you view your own contributions and interactions with others? [09:48]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Grace Transforms Our Shame
Shame can feel like a heavy burden, much like the "cone of shame" on a dog. However, God's grace offers us a "collar of grace," freeing us from the weight of shame and allowing us to live vulnerably and authentically. Just as Baxter, the dog, transitioned from wearing a "cone of shame" to a "collar of grace," we too can experience this transformation through God's grace. This grace is not just a concept but a powerful reality that can lift the burdens of shame from our lives, allowing us to live with authenticity and vulnerability. God's grace is a gift that invites us to step out of the shadows of shame and into the light of His love and acceptance. [01:25]

"For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with salvation." (Psalm 149:4, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel weighed down by shame? How can you invite God's grace into that area today to begin experiencing freedom and transformation?


Day 2: Redemption Through Grace
The story of Adam and Eve illustrates how shame entered the world, but it also points to the hope of redemption. God's grace provides a way back to a life without shame, inviting us to live in His presence and peace. In Genesis, Adam and Eve's choice to push God away introduced shame into the world. However, God's grace offers redemption and a path back to a life free from shame. This grace is an invitation to live in God's presence, where peace and acceptance replace the burden of shame. It is a reminder that no matter how far we may feel from God, His grace is always available to bring us back into His loving embrace. [02:06]

"Return to me, says the Lord of hosts, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts." (Zechariah 1:3, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. How can you take a step today to return to His presence and experience His grace anew?


Day 3: Joy and Peace for All
The angel's message to the shepherds is a powerful reminder that Jesus came to take away our shame and bring healing. This message of joy and peace is for everyone, regardless of status or past mistakes. The shepherds, considered lowly in society, were chosen to receive the angel's message of Jesus' birth. This demonstrates that God's grace and the joy and peace it brings are available to everyone, regardless of their social status or past mistakes. Jesus' coming into the world was to remove our shame and heal our wounds, offering us a new life filled with His peace and joy. [04:52]

"For the Lord will not cast off forever, but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love." (Lamentations 3:31-32, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the message of God's grace and peace? How can you share this message with them today in a way that reflects God's love and acceptance?


Day 4: Empowered by Grace to Act
Healing often requires action, as seen in the stories of Jesus healing the paralyzed. Grace empowers us to take small steps, transforming our lives and allowing us to testify to God's work in us. The healing stories of Jesus, such as the paralyzed man who was told to pick up his mat, show that healing often requires action. Grace empowers us to take these small steps, which can lead to significant transformation in our lives. These actions, though seemingly small, are filled with divine purpose and allow us to testify to God's work in us. [07:59]

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin." (Zechariah 4:10, ESV)

Reflection: What small step can you take today that would demonstrate God's grace at work in your life? How can this step lead to further transformation and healing?


Day 5: Divine Purpose in Small Acts
Small acts, like making your bed, can lead to a series of positive actions throughout the day. These seemingly insignificant steps are filled with divine purpose, reminding us that God inhabits small things and lowly people. Admiral McRaven's advice to make your bed every morning highlights the power of small acts. These acts, though seemingly insignificant, are filled with divine purpose and can lead to a series of positive actions throughout the day. They remind us that God is present in the small things and in the lives of those who may seem lowly or insignificant. [09:48]

"Whoever is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." (Luke 16:10, ESV)

Reflection: What small act can you commit to doing each day that will remind you of God's presence and purpose in your life? How can this act become a catalyst for further positive change?

Quotes


I was thinking about how deeply shame weighs on human life. There's a story in the Bible in Genesis in the third chapter about how Adam and Eve who initially were made to live with no shame they were naked they were vulnerable they were fully known but they were not ashamed. [00:16:00]

And then came the fall and they chose to push God out of their lives like we all do and they knew shame and so they hid and that's what we all do. And there's a very poignant verse at the end of that passage in Genesis 3 where it says and God put cherubim set cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. [00:18:39]

And the glory of the Lord Shone round about them now, I think about those those cherubim uh Angels who had to guard the way whatever that means whatever spirituality whatever spiritual reality that that's communicating and now there's an angel who comes with not a flashing light but Glory that shines. [00:43:57]

He can take away what you cannot remove, he can heal the wound that would otherwise be fatal to you, and this would be a sign you'll find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a Manger now Shepherds were kind of at the low end of the status ladder. [00:50:57]

And so they were people that would have a keen sense of inadequacy it'd be a little like if you're a Shepherd you were told you know uh go to the white house uh because the president uh wrote the the executive families just had a baby or something you'd never get in. [00:53:36]

He does it to a man that had been paralyzed for 38 years and then when the man is healed Jesus says to him pick up your mat, make your bed, and then later on in the book of Acts after Jesus is resurrected in ascends into heaven Peter is able through the name of Jesus to bring healing. [01:13:40]

Grace is power, and it leads us to get up off of the very small world of our mat and to begin to do things usually with real small steps things that don't look terribly significant there was a book it ended up becoming a number one bestsell in the New York Times. [01:24:59]

And it was based on a commencement speech by Admiral mcraven he talked about when he was a Navy SEAL when you wake up in the morning the first thing you do is get out of bed and then you make your bed, and he said it sounds like such a trivial small thing but he came to recognize. [01:27:00]

Over time that it was a really good thing to learn how to do that they would inspect that every day because you would recognize if I do this one small thing and it gives me a little sense of accomplishment that I can do the next small thing and then I can do the next small thing. [01:29:00]

And one by one as I walk through the day it will be a life of good small things that I can do and you and I can do that together with God and he said part of what that teaches us is the value of small things that little things matter, and that's not just a cliche. [01:31:00]

That's the Incarnation, little things matter because God created all things including little things and lowly people and small acts of good and God inhabits them the message of the manger is God inhabits small things he is there and then Admiral mcraven says if by chance you have a miserable day. [01:33:00]

At least when you come home at night you will come home to a maid bed, and it will be a little reminder that perhaps tomorrow will be a better day, so today you do not live in shame you don't live in guilt you don't live in pain those may come to you you may I may need to learn from them. [01:35:00]

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?