Their lives are sad, depressed, fearful and discouraged. There is no joy, no life left in them. They are dead people walking. They know that life is outside the tomb they have made for themselves, but they can t get out of the tomb. Some stone is blocking them in, keeping them away from abundant life.
Shame is one of the stones that blocks the way out of the tomb.
We know we have made some horrible mistakes in our lives. Maybe too many mistakes. We have sinned greatly against God and other people in our lives the people we live with and work with. Our lives have been full of lust and lies, bigotries and binges, greed and gossip. We are so full of guilt and shame, we don t think that God could possibly accept us.