What terrifies us most about pressing into authenticity? The voice of Shame. At its core, Shame’s mantra is that we are not enough. And that it is not possible for us to be fully known and fully loved. What if we turned the tables on Shame’s tactics? And transformed what Shame means for evil into good?
What would happen if we rejected Shame’s lies, but pressed into its nuggets of truth? Even embraced them as a gift? A light allowing us to see our whole self more clearly– both its good and bad parts-- and be liberated from the perfectionism of only accepting the good parts. And what if rather than hiding our imperfect parts alone, we shared them within the context of a safe community? Like the group of women I meet with weekly, to build muscle memory toward the truths contained in The Soul of Shame: Retelling the Stories We Believe About Ourselves. To experience the deep integration within ourselves and the deep connection with others that we all desperately desire. To get healthy within community. To embrace our common humanity.
But, to jump off the precipice of Pretense is a heroic act of courage. To take this risk, we must know that we are enough. That we are beloved. On what sure foundation can we rest this inner confidence? “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: for while we were yet sinners Christ died for us,” wrote the apostle Paul in Romans 5:8. We are fully known and fully loved by a trustworthy Father God who liberates us through the Cross. And as we take baby steps over and over again toward truth, we learn how to walk in truth.
“The final freedom is choosing to live who you are- especially when it’s scary, uncertain, inconvenient, or unpopular,” exhorts Kim George. May we be free indeed!
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