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Surely, I’d done it this time. I crossed the line beyond God’s grace. I thought about hiding from God.

I awoke from another drunken night where I’d passed out in the living room chair. The stale taste of alcohol still lingered on my breath. My head pounded, and my eyes burned as I scanned the room and surveyed the damage—another night erased by the bottles at my feet. Shame engulfed me, so I planned for the worst and thought of where to hide next.

From a young age, I knew Scriptures that taught me about my sin. Like many biblical characters, I felt I had to flee. My response was not abnormal. Adam and Eve, David, Moses, and Jonah had all tried it.

My sin shamed me, so I ran—desperate to find a place where God could not see me in the middle of my mess. My sin defined me. I ran from home, friends, school, and even church. I lost so many years to shame.

Once shame takes root in us, no one has to say a word for us to hear the judgments. We feel the disappointments without anyone looking in our direction.

So, what can we do when we feel the weight of our sin? We can run to the cross. God has made a place there for His children to find forgiveness.

The cross teaches us that God is not shocked by our messes, that He loves us anyway, that our mess is not the end of our story, and that we are more than the sum of our sins.

While shame tries to define us, God’s love covers a multitude of sins. So I no longer need to run and hide. Instead, I’ve found Jesus’ forgiveness, and so can you.

What steps can you take to escape the weight of your sin? 

(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)

(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)