September 29, 2025 Devo

Some of us may need to claim this verse today. Because even though we ARE forgiven, we don’t FEEL forgiven. Maybe we’re still beating ourselves up about things that we’ve done. Or maybe we’re still dealing with the consequences of our sins, and it reminds us of how stupid it was. Or maybe we’re seeing the consequences of our sin being played out in the life of someone that we care about. All of those things stir up the shame inside us and cause us to feel sorrow for our sins all over again.
And honestly, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That sting of shame reminds us that we don’t want to go down that path again. But never confuse the FEELINGS of shame with the FACT of forgiveness. When we confessed with a sincere heart, God forgave us. Fully. Completely. Gone. We may wrestle with feelings of shame for the rest of our lives. But we’re not wrestling with our forgiveness. Jesus won that match on the cross. So when the shame comes, let’s take it for what it is. Echoes of who we were and what we did. It’s not about who we ARE.
The reason this is so important is that shame is a powerful emotion. It attacks our sense of value and worth. If the feelings of shame are not confronted, they can pull us into a cave of despair. They will make us feel as if no one wants us. They will make us feel that we have no future. They will make us feel as if we have no hope.
But all of those feelings are just that—feelings. They’re not facts. Sin may cause us to lose some relationships we have or had, and that’s horribly sad. But it doesn’t mean no one loves us. Sin may alter our lives in significant ways and cause us to make changes we don’t want to make. But it doesn’t mean God can’t help us rebuild a new life on a new path. Sin may change our future as we dreamed it would be. But God’s grace can help us to reshape our future into one that will be meaningful and good. Shame will try to make us feel as if we're stuck. But we’re not. It’s just the enemy trying to keep us tied to our past. We are not who we were. We are not what we did. If we’ve confessed our sin to the Lord, we are a brand-new creation in Christ. So, when shame reminds us of what God has forgotten, claim this verse. “He forgives all my sins...” Believe the fact, not the feeling. That’s God’s Word for you today.