“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” — Proverbs 4:23 (NLT)
This morning, tucked away in the stillness of my prayer time, the Holy Spirit interrupted my thoughts with something unexpected.
Shame.
Not the loud kind that condemns or mocks.
Not the shame from past mistakes or obvious failures.
This was subtle. Residual. Almost familiar.
It wasn’t even rooted in something I had done.
It was shame I picked up after being mistreated—wounds left by the words and actions of others. And somehow, even after all the healing, teaching, writing, and mentoring… it had snuck back in.
The Sneaky Return of Shame
If you’ve ever walked through a silent season, you know the stillness can be both sacred and searching.
Without the noise of the world—or even the noise of God’s clear direction—you begin to hear things hiding beneath the surface.
And that’s what happened today.
The Lord gently showed me:
You can be free, yet still carrying echoes.
You can be healed, yet still vulnerable.
You can be a deliverer for others, and still need deliverance in your own heart.
Shame doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes, it waits. It disguises itself in self-doubt, unworthiness, hesitation, or exhaustion. It wears the mask of “I’m fine” while slowly chipping away at your confidence in God’s voice—and your worth in His eyes.
Mistreated ≠ Marked
One of the sneakiest things about shame is that it doesn’t just come from what you’ve done—
It can cling to what’s been done to you.
When someone mistreats you, dishonors you, overlooks you, or mishandles your heart, shame often moves in quietly through the back door. You start internalizing their behavior as your burden. You carry guilt for how they acted. You question if maybe you were too much… or not enough.
But let me say this clearly:
Their mistreatment does not mark you.
You are not responsible for someone else’s sin.
And you do not have to carry what Jesus already removed.
Why Silence Exposes What Busyness Hides
When God is quiet, it doesn’t mean He’s distant.
Oftentimes, it means He’s drawing you close enough to do surgical work.
Busyness can hide the residue.
But silence—holy, refining silence—reveals what’s still buried.
This is a mercy.
It’s the love of a Good Father who says, “You’ve come so far. But let Me show you this one last thing still attached.”
Not to shame you, but to free you completely.
Guard Your Heart—Even From What’s Familiar
Proverbs 4:23 reminds us to guard our hearts above all else. Not just from big sins or temptations, but from subtle old patterns trying to find new access.
Shame is sneaky.
It doesn’t need permission—it just needs a crack in the door.
So today, I slammed that door shut.
I broke agreement with shame.
I renounced every lie and laid down every trace I had unknowingly carried.
🧠 Reflection Questions:
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Have you ever realized you were still carrying shame that didn’t belong to you?
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What has the silence in this season revealed about your heart?
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Are you guarding your heart from lies that try to sound like your own thoughts?
🙏🏼 Prayer:
Father, thank You for Your gentle love that exposes what I didn’t even know was still there. I renounce shame in every form—especially the shame that came through mistreatment. I declare that I am not what they said, what they did, or how they treated me. I am Yours. Holy Spirit, help me guard my heart with fresh discernment in this silent season. I receive Your freedom and truth again, fully and completely. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
🔗 Listen to the Full Message
🎧 Episode 3: Breaking Up With Shame in the Silence is now live on the Soul Food Podcast.
Tap https://linktr.ee/judylamborn to listen and let God meet you in the silence.
📝 Want help walking this out? Download the [30-Day Affirmation Journal: God’s Love vs Shame] or grab the free 3-day sample and let the truth of God’s Word retrain your heart.