Share your shame with Jesus
Let’s Build “Recovery Culture” into Our Communities
“You know absolutely everything about me, yet You love me with perfect, unfailing Love.” – Jesus Listens, January 4 If you call yourself a Christian, you’re in recovery. If we were all once sinners in need of a Savior, then we’re all trying to recover and heal from something. Recovery is for everyone—and if that statement bothers you, recovery is probably for you, too. After all, real recovery isn’t a program, it’s a lifestyle. A lifelong journey that celebrates diversity and combats stigmatization. And because recovery is for everyone, there’s no shame in acknowledging that we all need it. Building an authentic recovery culture within pre-existing Jesus groups can be a real challenge. Because recovery, even with Jesus as our Higher Power, is wildly unstable. Here are five critical m...
Reframing Shame
“I know Your power is made perfect in weakness. So I thank you for my insufficiency—it helps me depend on You to infuse strength into me.” – Jesus Listens, January 9 Admitting our weakness is often a difficult task for most of us, because calling our imperfections, failures, hang-ups, and habits what they are, is uncomfortable. And it often produces shame. Shame and self-esteem Shame is a powerful emotion that is inward and, when not dealt with appropriately, deadly to our self-esteem and connection with God and others. The accuser of our souls is out to steal, kill, and destroy, and we can easily find ourselves believing the lies he plants in our minds: that we are not good enough; that we are broken beyond repair. The enemy attacks us this way because it is a direct attack on our identit...
Our Big God Doesn’t Make Small People
“You, the Mighty One who created the universe, live in me!” Jesus Listens, July 2 If you are anything like me, at some point you have dealt with the warring thoughts of wanting more out of life but feeling guilty about your lack of contentment. If God wanted to give me more influence, ability, or fulfillment, He would have, right? I think sometimes. Isn’t my desire for more an indication of a lack of gratitude—or even worse, rejection of what God has for me? I’m not the only person who has thoughts like that this, am I? Getting Answers From the Bible As a pastor, I spend a lot of time reading the Bible, and I love it. Like, love love it. Not only because Scripture holds life, truth, and keys to unlock God’s miracles in my own life—though that’s the main reason—but also because there i...
Turn Toward Light
One of the most destructive storytellers in the world is shame. As we walk through our days, whether we face challenges or triumphs, shame leans into our ear, whispering things we wouldn’t tell our worst enemies. No one will help you. You don’t matter. You are invisible. You are not enough. Shame tells lies I’ve been a Licensed Professional Counselor for more than twenty years, and the last seven years I’ve trained in shame resilience. I know shame’s quiet power can take us down quickly. And I know the stories shame tells me about myself are lies. Yet the feelings shame evokes are so powerful, they often leave me on my knees, and not the peaceful prayerful kind—more like a pit stop on the way to the fetal position. I know your shame can take you to a dark place too. But instead of staying ...
