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Aug 26, 2018

067 Do Not Let Me to Be Put to Shame - A Guided Christian Meditation on Psalms 25:1-5

I work as a hospice chaplain and an ICU chaplain, my purpose in making this podcast is to help you find more peace in your life and to be more open to be changed by the Spirit of God. by using a centuries old form of Christian Meditation called Lectio Divina. It consists of:

Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation, Visualization

Get into a place where you can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should not be driving or anything tensing or unrelaxing. If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.

Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:

Breathe and direct your thoughts to contacting God.

Bible verse for meditation:

Matthew 6:19-21

NIV
1 In you, Lord my God,
I put my trust.
2 I trust in you;
do not let me be put to shame,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
who are treacherous without cause.
4 Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.

KJV
1 Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
2 O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.
3 Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.
4 Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.
5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.


What does this scripture mean to you?
Has it had a different effect this reading as compared to times past?
How does this scripture make you feel?

Continue breathing deeply as you ponder this meaning.

Meditation on scripture / bible verse meditation:

This scripture makes an interesting connection between shame and trust.
This scripture mentions shame 3 different times. Shame can mean different things but it often can hound us for things. When we violate our conscience we feel the twinges of guilt. Many times I have heard people talk about guilt as wrong. The truth is that if we do something horrible and harmful to others we may feel our conscience disturbed. It is right for us to be directed to correct things based on our conscience. This can help us be good to each other and treat each other like neighbors. We should not seek to avoid any response to our conscience but we should seek to learn from it as much as we can. We can search our hearts honestly knowing that God wants us to improve and will help us become new creatures in him.

The flip side of this is when we are overcome and constantly barraged by feelings of shame. When we feel constantly burdened by overwhelming feelings of shame this can be disruptive to personal growth. I have a couple different friends who have OCD and they feel shame for things that might happen. For example they worry that they could have done something harmful to someone else (but didn’t). These feelings are not the result of actual violations of their virtue.

The challenge can be to determine the difference. The guiding principle can be, growing in the Lord. Our goal is not to make ourselves feel good or bad but to conform ourselves to the image of Christ in us. When we feel the light of Christ speak in our hearts we can listen and make course corrections that are needed, repent and then trust that God will help us make it right in so far as we can. We can overcome shame by focusing on trusting in God who will save those who believe him and follow his path.

Meditation of Prayer:

Pray as directed by the Spirit.
Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him.

Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm:
I invite you to sit in silence feeling being patient for your own faults and trials.

Meditate and Visualize Positive Change in Your Life:

Sue donated on Patreon and selected the scripture. Thanks Sue!


Final Question: What is some specific thing that you want to place more focus on in your life?

Final thought -

I have heard people make a difference between shame and guilt. Perhaps this is a false splitting of words but there are two separate concepts. One is a feeling that can lead us to change and improve. Another feeling degrades us and discourages us from growing. We should allow guilt to work its benevolent course without resistance and with full trust in God, our savior while at the same time not being overburdened by Shame. As we trust more fully in God we can overcome shame.


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