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Shame and Forgiveness
Mike Wilson
Healthy to the Core – Week 5: Shame and Forgiveness
In week five of the Healthy to the Core series, Pastor Mike Wilson took New Life Gillette deeper into a conversation many avoid but all experience—shame and forgiveness. With personal stories, practical steps, and gospel-centered hope, he showed how shame holds people back, while God’s mercy releases them to walk freely.
A God Who Forgives
The message begins in Psalm 103, a declaration of God’s kindness and compassion:
“The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love… He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.”
Many people struggle to believe this. Some imagine God as a distant, angry judge who keeps a long list of their past failures. Mike humorously but poignantly illustrated this with a roll of old-school printer paper—each page a record of sins from his own life. While people may expect God to reference that list endlessly, Mike reminded us that God does not treat us the way we treat each other. He doesn’t just forgive; He forgets.
“I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”
This is the beginning of freedom from shame—understanding that God, unlike people, doesn’t revisit your past to shame you. His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).
Shame Is Not Just Guilt
Mike pointed out a key distinction:
Guilt says, “I did something bad.”
Shame says, “I am something bad.”
While guilt can lead us to repentance, shame paralyzes us and pushes us away from God. This dynamic is illustrated powerfully in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve, after sinning, hid from God in the garden.
“So they hid from the Lord God among the trees.”
Shame makes us hide—from God, from people, and even from ourselves. And like Adam and Eve covering themselves, shame convinces us to conceal instead of heal.
The Shame Cycle
Many believers live in a shame cycle. They sin, feel shame, try to perform better, fail again, and feel even more shame. Mike acknowledged that for many, this spiral leads to addiction, hiding, and emotional numbness. Shame distorts identity and defines people by their worst moments.
But through Jesus’ sacrifice, the story doesn’t have to end there.
“Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”
Jesus took on our shame so we could walk in freedom. Pastor Mike explained that as Jesus hung on the cross, naked and exposed, He disregarded the shame (Hebrews 12:2) and conquered it for us. This is the heart of shame and forgiveness—that God not only removes our sin, but He removes the shame that clings to it.
Lies vs. Truth
Shame is powerful because it’s rooted in lies we believe about ourselves:
“I am unwanted.”
“I am not enough.”
“I am broken beyond repair.”
“I will never change.”
But these are not God’s words.
To help illustrate this, everyone in the congregation was invited to fill out a card with two blanks:
“I am not ____”
“Because of Christ, I am ____”
Examples included:
“I am not disgusting. Because of Christ, I am made pure.”
“I am not addicted. Because of Christ, I am free.”
“I am not enough. Because of Christ, I can do all He created me to do.” (Philippians 4:13)
This exercise helped attendees shift from shame to identity in Christ, anchoring them in truth.
The Role of Confession
Mike emphasized the power of confession in breaking shame’s hold. Citing James 5:16, he encouraged people to confess their sins to one another and pray for each other for healing. Confession leads to connection, which shame tries to sever.
“Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.”
This level of vulnerability, often experienced in healthy Life Groups, can bring incredible healing. Mike referenced Brené Brown, who defines shame as the belief that we are unworthy of love and connection. Christ, however, says otherwise.
Healing Begins with Focus
Too often, people are tempted to focus on their flaws. Mike challenged the church to shift their eyes off their inadequacies and onto Christ. When we only look at ourselves, we see failure. But when we look at Jesus, we see grace, victory, and purpose.
“Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”
Jesus defeated shame. His resurrection means we can live unchained. The enemy’s lie is that your past disqualifies you. But the gospel truth is that God uses the broken, the doubters, the addicted, and the ashamed—and He restores them to purpose.
An Invitation to Start Fresh
Pastor Mike closed the message by inviting those present to begin a new relationship with Jesus. For those carrying shame, this was a moment to lay it down and step into freedom. For many, it meant acknowledging that they are not their past.
His mercies are new every morning.”
Mike encouraged everyone to build a spiritual “altar” and declare that today is a fresh start.
Scriptures Referenced
Psalm 103:8–12
Hebrews 8:12
Genesis 3:8
2 Corinthians 5:17
Hebrews 12:1–2
Lamentations 3:23
James 5:16
Philippians 4:13
This message reminds us that bravery without preparation is dangerous, and preparation without courage is ineffective. But when both come together through faith in Christ, believers can face anything the enemy throws their way.
At New Life Church, the goal is to be Healthy to the Core—not just emotionally, physically, or relationally, but spiritually as well. This message was a bold reminder that God calls His people to live brave and prepared for whatever battle lies ahead.
Let’s suit up.
Did you like Healthy To The Core – Week 5 – Shame and Forgiveness? If so, check out more of our Sunday teachings here.
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