Shame
Does shame cast a dark shadow over your life? In Shame, Esther Liu explains what it means to be truly known and loved. In less than 100 pages, this 31-day devotional renews your mind and reshapes your heart in regards to countering shame.
God Sees, You Matter
What I most appreciated was how this book spans the entire biblical story. I saw the story of shame from the beginning pages of Adam and Eve disobeying God, all the way through the hope of a new creation in Revelation. I was most surprised to see shame appear in the story of Leah and Rachel. Leah was said to have “weak eyes.” She didn’t do anything wrong, yet something was still wrong with her. Liu says that we can often feel “there’s something wrong with me” even when we’re not quite sure what that is. Liu reminds us that we can run to God with our insecurities.
Asian Americans will find much to relate to in this book. From feeling like we need to climb ladders of success to feeling invisible. In regards to being unseen, Liu takes us to the story of Abraham, and how God sees his servant Hagar. When we feel small, insignificant, and unnoticed, we can remember that God sees us and we matter.
Shame and Sorrow
I was most interested to see the connection between shame and anxiety. If you believe you are not good enough, you will see the world as a threatening place. In stressful situations, my mind often wanders to the worst-case scenario. Liu helped me realize that I’ve forgotten about God. But when life feels insecure, and when life really does fall apart, I need to remember that God does not forsake us. He is with us wherever we go and whatever happens (Psalm 139:7-10).
The middle of the book marks a turning point. Liu turns our eyes towards Jesus, and we see that even our savior experienced shame. Throughout his life and especially on the cross, his was marked by shame and sorrow. But what matters most is that he experienced it for us. Christians are now empowered to rest and build our house upon the Rock. This book is literally Gospel-centered, full of worship and gratitude for our savior.
A Message of Hope
In many ways, this book is a challenge to live a life of faith. Liu acknowledges that the Christian life is not a walk in the park. We will still be found unpopular and even hated by the world. But what matters most is knowing we are known and loved by God. With this in mind, we can admit our brokenness in our bodies and look for grace amidst thorns of shame that remain. Liu is an amazing guide, skilled in sharing scripture and writing with warmth and wisdom.
The book ends with a message of hope. While the help of the Holy Spirit and depending on others in the church to carry us, we can place our full hope and trust in Jesus. And hope does not put us to shame.
I received a media copy of Shame and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.