Pocket Full of Shame

Lately I've been enamored with Isaiah 61. It's such a beautiful passage with wonderful promises to cling to. One part though, is kinda random:

"Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the LORD love justice." (Isaiah 61:7-8a)

Okay, so, no shame, double portion, good, good, joy, got it. Wait, "I the Lord love justice"? Random. Why does Isaiah talk about God giving us a double portion and then randomly declare that He loves justice? Well, because God wouldn't be just if he forgave all our sins through Jesus' substitutionary death and then let us sit in the shame of those sins. That would essentially be like punishing those sins twice, which because God loves justice, He cannot and will not do. 

I know Jesus paid the debt for all of my sins at Calvary in my head, but wallowing in the shame I feel from those sins shows that I don't truly understand the Gospel in my heart. Carrying around shame in my back pocket shows I don't believe the Gospel is powerful enough to once and for all take away my sin and shame. God didn't design us to carry around the weight of our sin, which is why Jesus lovingly took my place and yours on the cross so we wouldn't have to walk around with shame hanging over our heads. Instead, we can boast in the double portion of goodness and joy and freedom God freely gives us.

For a great video about shame, check this out. It's a bit lengthy, but totally worth it.