Shame

 To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.
Daniel 9:7 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/dan.9.7.ESV

Daniel has a healthy perspective in this prayer. He knows God is righteous and that we are not, and that therein lies the problem. The fact that God is good might not sound immediately scary, but the fact we are bad shows that God's going to have a problem either us.

Daniel knew that Judah had been exiled for being treacherous towards God. They ought to have been faithful. After all, God was faithful towards them.

Shame is clearly a bad thing, but we can use it to propel us in prayer to God. Daniel wasn't wallowing in shame. Instead, he pleaded with God to take it away.

What are we to do if we feel shame at our sins? Take it to the Lord in prayer! He is faithful even when we prove faithless. If He promises to save us and give us the faith we need, all we have to do is to believe.

'Almighty God, we acknowledge Your holiness and our sinfulness. Please have mercy upon us, for Jesus' sake, amen'

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