I am reading a Brennan Manning book right now and really enjoying it. It is a daily devotional called "The Rabbi's Heartbeat". One of the first lessons is on our shame and God's love. It really spoke to me. Here is just one line from the book.
"God loves who we really are - whether we like it or not, and calls us to come out of hiding into a safe place."
Last week I posted something on Facebook that shocked people. I just wrote about poop. To me it is no big deal and even funny. I mean, we all poop. But someone thought it was inappropriate and asked me to remove it. I was a bit surprised at this and thought maybe she was joking in asking me to remove it. But she was serious. I didn't mind removing it because I don't want to offend people and it is really no big deal. But I am surprised how it made me feel. I felt shame. Like I did something wrong.
Shame is a familiar feeling that raises it's head in my life over and over again. I have gone to lots of counseling and have never figured out where it comes from and why it is there. So instead of trying to figure out why I have shame I am trying to learn to not let it come out anymore. Brennan Manning speaks a lot about this.
It is easy for me to try to be that perfect woman who does all the right things and says all the right things. But that isn't the real me. I am not perfect. And I don't have to be perfect for God to accept me. So if I am living my life for the purpose of pleasing others, I will fail. But if I live my life to be accepted by God, I win. And it is much easier. I have already won.
"God loves who we really are - whether we like it or not, and calls us to come out of hiding into a safe place."
Last week I posted something on Facebook that shocked people. I just wrote about poop. To me it is no big deal and even funny. I mean, we all poop. But someone thought it was inappropriate and asked me to remove it. I was a bit surprised at this and thought maybe she was joking in asking me to remove it. But she was serious. I didn't mind removing it because I don't want to offend people and it is really no big deal. But I am surprised how it made me feel. I felt shame. Like I did something wrong.
Shame is a familiar feeling that raises it's head in my life over and over again. I have gone to lots of counseling and have never figured out where it comes from and why it is there. So instead of trying to figure out why I have shame I am trying to learn to not let it come out anymore. Brennan Manning speaks a lot about this.
It is easy for me to try to be that perfect woman who does all the right things and says all the right things. But that isn't the real me. I am not perfect. And I don't have to be perfect for God to accept me. So if I am living my life for the purpose of pleasing others, I will fail. But if I live my life to be accepted by God, I win. And it is much easier. I have already won.
1 comment:
I think this lady's thoughts on shame are quite interesting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psN1DORYYV0
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