Let Me Not Be Ashamed

By Janet Morris Grimes –

Sometimes I wonder if God giggles under His breath at my interpretations of His words. Those same words He so carefully chose, written by the messengers He so carefully chose, so that I would never be left in the dark.

He never meant for me to figure this life out by myself.

So when I try, it’s no wonder I get it wrong.

“Let me not be ashamed.” I’ve read these recurring passages throughout the book of Psalms hundreds of times, focusing, of course, on the parts that affect me the most.

My translation of this was simple, and somewhat selfish, so my prayers naturally followed suit.

“Dear God, Let nothing happen that might cause me embarrassment, or make a fool out of me. Keep failure far from my family. I have my pride, you know? And if it’s okay with you, I’d like to keep that and my reputation intact.”

Building a house on the slippery foundation of pride will ensure that it will come tumbling down around me, especially when I remain the focus of my prayers.

Recently, when life was not going particularly the way I hoped, I happened across this verse. Life was spinning out of my control, and I had difficulty finding the peace I so generously recommend to others.

“What if I end up making a fool out of myself?” I asked.

How is it that I claim to trust God with my life, but then provide for Him a list of parameters with which to work?

But then I’m gently reminded that the Creator of the Universe does not need my help, nor my parameters. He needs my trust, my submission, and more than anything, for me to surrender my pride; for me to quit worrying about what other people think of me and my family.

‘Let me not be ashamed’ might require me to get my hands dirty. It might require me to go willingly to places that might make me uncomfortable. It might require me to take risks, especially when failure is a strong possibility.

It might require me to take on the heart of God, so that the fear of embarrassment or shame no longer crosses my mind.

Because, when I think about it, my only goal is to give back to Him the life He first gave to me, to be used as needed.

Which means it should never have been about me in the first place.

PRAYER: Dear God, let us not be ashamed, nor be worried about anything that might bring us shame. Help us to see the world through Your eyes, so that our focus remains on You rather than ourselves. This is Your world, and that is all we need to know. Help us to rest in that,. We trust you with our happy endings. Teach us to trust you also then with our shame.

“I trust in you. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me” (Psalm 25:2NIV).