He Turns Shame Into Glory

September 13th, 2025
by Hannah Freeman

Have you ever noticed that when you begin to grow stronger in the Lord, the enemy will start to bring up your shame and past sins? But God says that we are a new creation that the old has passed away. We don’t have to be so consumed of being ashamed of our past because the Lord has cleansed us from all sin. Confessing your sin and shame and turning toward God is the only way to be completely free from your guilt. Because of Jesus death and resurrection, those who have Faith in Him are free from the power of sin. It doesn’t mean that you won’t ever sin again, but that sin’s power to shame you has been defeated by your Heavenly Father.
These verses are a great reminder when we feel like shame is weighing us down, we can look to what God’s Word says.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. – 2 Corinthians 5:17
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. – Psalm 51:2-3
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. - 1 John 1:9

As we read about the Samaritan woman in John 4, she felt shameful of her past and felt isolated, but Jesus transformed all of her shame into glory by accepting her, showing her grace, and love no matter what she did. This is a powerful illustration of how God can turn “your” shame into His wonderful glory. The story of the Samaritan woman shows us that Jesus will never turn away from us when we feel unworthy of being loved, because of our past mistakes. He wants to set you free from all shame and guilt so that you can live free in your relationship with Him. When we are so bound up in our shame, we can end up missing the wonderful plans and opportunities that the Lord wants to place in our lives.

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” – John 4:10

Prayer and confessing can help free us from all guilt and shame. God offers us freedom in Him so that we don’t have to be so tied down from our past sins. Learn to embrace and be thankful for God’s promise to forgive you and cleanse you from shame and regret. And gaze upon the eyes of Jesus knowing that in Him you are set free.

When you come to Faith in Jesus, He forgives all your sins. Your past is forgotten, for He calls you a new creation in Him. God will use our brokenness and shame to bring growth and strength that can only be found in Him alone. When we become so focused on our regrets and shame, it can disable us from serving the Lord in the ways that He has called us to serve. No matter what you have done in the past and no matter the shame that you deal with, God welcomes you in with loving arms.