By His stripes we are healed

I have been a Christian for quite some time and have always had a difficult time assimilating the Word of God into my life in a real and practical way.  It is easy to look at the Word of God and believe it in my head and heart, yet find it difficult to apply it to my life.  In the season of confusion, hurt, anger, and pain we read to take it all to the cross.  God will heal you.  What does that look like?  How do you do this?  Do you write a note to God?  Do you just simply tell God?  Doesn't he already know?  These questions plague us as we struggle with the heaviness we are experiencing in our current situations.  Let's take, shame for example.  This is a core issue that many of us struggle with.  Shame can be good and it can also be bad. 

Psychologist Robert Karen defines shame as, "...crippling, because it contains not just the derisive accusation that one is a wimp, a bully, a runt, or a fag but the further implication that one is at core a deformed being, fundamentally unlovable and unworthy of membership in the human community.  It is the self regarding the self with the withering and unforgiving eye of contempt.  And most people are unable to face it.  It is too annihilating." 

(Robert Karen, "Shame," The Atlantic Monthly February 1992) 42-43.

What a great discription of the pain and heaviness our souls feel when we have this struggle with shame in our lives.  When we encounter the cross and read how Jesus suffered, we can summize that shame was definately one of them.  Yet, sinnless, Jesus suffered deep rejection and bore the shame our sins deserve.  In order to take the Word of God and apply it to our lives, we need to confess our shame before God.  It can be a simple prayer or a deep heartfelt cry to God.  He wants to hear it.  He wants you to experience the freedom that unconditional love and grace has to offer.  It's there waiting for you.  God will not force it on you.  You must position your heart open and bear before the living God and be ready to confess all known sin and repent of it.  A Messianic Rabbi once said that repentance means to, "Admit it and Quit it!"  When we struggle with addictions or other difficult issues like anger or resentment it takes time and accountability to work through these issues but you still do not have to own the shame, God knows that you are working through a process of healing.  By His stripes we are healed.  All of our sin was paid for by His death on the cross.  It doesn't matter what you have done, what you have said, or what others have done or said to you.  You are loved by the One who created you.  You are forgiven by the One who died the horrific shameful death on the cross.  You job is to deal with the sin.  Get help and continue the spiritual disciplines while relying on the Holy Spirit to make those changes in your life.  God wants you to be holy.  You are not to compare your life to anyone but that of Christ.  He alone is your measuring rod.  Before you know it you will be walking in righteousness, forsaking the past issues and living a peaceful life.  My prayer is that God will begin the healing in you.