Let There Be Light on the Darkness of Shame | John Burns

• Some things grow in the dark — but shame shouldn't be one of them.

In this vulnerable and powerful message, John Burns shares how shame becomes a stronghold when left unexposed, but how Jesus brings healing when we bring our shame into the light. “Let there be light on the darkness of shame” is more than a theme — it’s a spiritual invitation to uncover what we’ve tried to hide and let God lovingly cover it with His truth.

“Guilt says, ‘I made a mistake.’ But shame says, ‘I am a mistake.’”

“Jesus didn’t just take your sin—He took your shame, and He scorned it.”

Using the stories of Adam and Eve, the woman at the well, and Jesus’ own suffering, John lays out three ways God brings healing from shame:

• Through a relationship with Jesus Christ, who “knows everything about you and still loves you”

• Through the Word of God, which “shines truth on the lies shame tells you”

• Through loving relationships with other believers, where “love covers over a multitude of sins”

“Don’t come to Teen Challenge and cover your shame with fig leaves.”

“Let Jesus love your shame and bring healing to the wounds you’ve carried too long.”

Shame thrives in secrecy. But God has given you a new identity in Christ. You are not your addiction. You are not your failure. You are not your past. “Anyone who believes in Him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11)

🙏 Reflect and Respond

• What fig leaves have you used to hide your shame?

• Have you let Jesus love your shame — not just your strengths?

•Who in your life can speak the truth of God’s Word to your hidden places?

“You will forget the shame of your youth. You will not be humiliated. Do not be afraid.” (Isaiah 54:4)

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