Psalm 83:16 “Cover their faces with shame so that men will seek your name, O Lord!”
Shame is such an intense feeling. In fact, when we feel shame, our faces turn red and we blush. Nobody likes the feeling. Shame is painful. It is a feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong, failure or foolish behavior. Blushing is a phenomenon, which combines a physical reaction with social behavior. It is an involuntary, reflexive reaction that is part of the "fight or flight" phenomenon.
The first time we see shame in the word is with Adam and Eve after having eaten from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3). Up until they ate of that fruit they had not experienced shame. However, when they did, their reaction was to hide. That is the flight response. Then in chapter four of Genesis we see Cain's response to The Lord not looking at his offering with favour. The Lord asks Cain why he is angry and why his face is downcast. Then, the humiliation he Cain feels turns to anger and that completes it's course in murder. That is the fight response.
The interesting point in our verse is that The Lord uses shame so that men will seek him. In other words, when we feel shame it causes us to ponder and look for an answer to our situation. We can ultimately fight or flee or we can draw near to God. We can come to Him in our time of trouble and He will take all our shame. Isaiah 61:7 says instead of shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance and so they will inherit a double portion in their land and everlasting joy will be theirs!
Jesus took our shame upon the cross so we could be set free from that curse. All we need to do is recognize that we feel shame and give it to Him. Psalm 34:5 says: "those who look to Him will be radiant; their face will never be covered in shame!"
Prayer: “ Father, I ask that you would help me look to you when I feel shame. Give me the courage to run to you and not hide. Help me not to fight but rely on you. I thank you for a double portion of your kindness and blessing that I am receiving in this land.”