god will never put us to shame

The Psalmist says, “In you, Lord, I have taken refuge. Never let me be put to shame.” Ps. 71:1

A refuge is a place that is supposed to give you security when your world is falling apart. It is a place where you can be confident in the protection that it offers. But what if those things that protect you take advantage of you? What if they expose all your hidden faults and secret sins and put you to shame before everyone? It is a kind of betrayal that you can never fully get over. It is traumatic.

Over the years, I have taken refuge in many things: my ministry, the opinion of others, entertainment, theological insight (not that I really have any, but I pretended to have some!), my own desires, my status in society, and people I like, etc. To be honest, because of the deceptiveness of my own heart, I could not even realize that I was taking refuge in them.

Two False Refuges

Oftentimes we vacillate between two false refuges.

One, we take refuge in things that are not meant to provide ultimate hope, satisfaction, comfort, and protection. If you take refuge in your career, how does it protect you when your eight-year-old suffers from cerebral palsy? You put all your energy, emotion, and heart into a relationship thinking you are going to experience endless bliss and tranquility. It turns out to be very sour in the end. The scars leave a permanent mark of disappointment and sadness.

On the other hand, we take refuge in our hearts. We trust our hearts far too quickly. How can we not? It is difficult to get an outside perspective. Because of the deception in our hearts (Jer. 17:9), we often cannot gauge how much damage we are doing to ourselves. For the most part, it is our hearts that deceive us, bringing shame upon our souls far too often.

But God Is Our Refuge

But with God, he will never betray us because of his covenantal loyalty. He would suffer rather than break his word. And through Jesus he suffered. He will never expose our nakedness and put us to shame. Instead, he himself bore that shame on our behalf through his Son Jesus on the cross. Jesus became the object of shame for us. He covers our nakedness (a multitude of our sins) through his righteousness. He truly protects those who take refuge in him.

In fact, he will go to any length in order to protect his children. He did not spare his own Son so that you would be protected (Rom. 8:32). He abandoned Jesus Christ on the cross so that you would never be abandoned. Through Jesus Christ, we have a formidable friend in God. He made a covenant: “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). May we rest in the refuge that Jesus offers.

What Should You Do?

Run. Run toward Christ. He will provide you safety. He is our refuge. He is strong and kind.

Christ understands your struggle.

Remember, there is no place that Christ cannot get to in order to rescue you.

Remember, every ounce of energy you spend resisting the devil, the flesh, and the world will not go to waste. You are not alone in this battle. The Holy Spirit will never give up on you.