Many people don't put much thought into the difference between guilt and shame. Most assume the two are interchangeable. Although they are very similar, it is essential to know their differences, especially when it comes to understanding how the Gospel of Jesus Christ frees us from both guilt and shame.
Here is what you need to know about the difference between guilt and shame, and what the Bible says about each one.

What is Guilt?
Guilt is feeling bad for what we have done when we have not met an expected standard. If I speak harshly to my wife although I've commuted to treat her with love and kindness I may experience guilt.
It’s important to note that not all guilt is unhealthy. There is a healthy level of guilt we experience to signal that we may need to change certain actions. As with the previous example, guilt experienced from speaking harshly to my wife will hopefully motivate me to apologize and change my behavior.

2 Corinthians 7:10 tells us: Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. (NIV)
We are all guilty of not meeting God's standard. But just feeling guilty for sin is not enough to cleanse us of our sin and rid us of guilt. Jesus Christ did that for us on the cross. When we accept Jesus Christ into our lives not only are our sins forgiven, but we also take on the righteousness of Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tells us:
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (ESV)

What is Shame?
Where guilt has to do with feeling bad about what we do, shame is feeling bad about who we are.
When I say, "I feel bad for yelling at my kids," this is guilt.
When I say, "I'm a bad father," this is shame.
We can experience both guilt and shame at the same time, and many times we do. Shame, however, is more relational. It has to do with feeling like a failure in the eyes of others and how we perceive ourselves.
Because shame is relational, we can experience it as a result from our own actions and the actions of others. We may feel shame even when we have done nothing wrong but because of the wrong done to us by someone else. Shame says, "because this happened to you, you are now bad," or, "this bad thing happened to you because you are bad."

How to Live Free from Shame:
We can live free from shame because Jesus took on shame for us. In Hebrews 12:2 the Apostle Paul says we should look "to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (ESV)
Jesus shows that just because something bad happens to you does not make you bad. As Jesus went to the cross to finish His work here on earth, we are told he despised the shame of the cross. He was rejected by his friends, disrespected, mocked, and worse yet He did not allow shame to stop Him from completing His work because of "the joy that was set before Him."
Jesus sets us free from shame because He took on the shame that belonged to us and covers us when we place our faith in Him or as Romans 10:11 says: Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. (ESV)
Now, in Christ, we are not defined what the bad we have done or the bad done to us. Our identity is in Christ, and we are made new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says: If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come.

Below are 31 Bible verses that will help you overcome guilt & shame. Take one verse per day and meditate on it during your quiet time and throughout the day until you have completed all 31 verses. Remember to write down any insight from The Holy Spirit as you reflect in His word. Use the notes section in the main menu tab at the top left of the screen (The three horizontal bars next to "Main Menu") or right them down in a notebook so you can refer back to them later. We have a tendency to forget what God speaks to us in our quiet time, if we don't keep a record of it.