Free From Shame

(This is day 1 of a 31 day blog series titled Live Free.  )

When I think about living free, the first thing I think of is living free from shame.

Yep, I’m going right to the deep, dark topic of shame because that’s the first thing that needs to go in order for me to live free. Because shame steals my ability to enjoy my life. Shame shouts and belittles me, and tries to make me cower in a corner. And I can’t live that way. As a child of God, I am inviting into a better life. Jesus offers me life to the full (John 10:10). And I’m all over that. Who doesn’t want a more full, satisfying life?

But living free from shame is rarely immediate, it’s a lifelong process.  Like everything in life, removing shame takes time and effort. Otherwise known as work.

What kind of work?

Heart work.

Denying the voice of shame, surrendering my heart to God and then listening.

Instead of listening to the same ole “You’re worthless. You’ll never change. You should be ashamed of yourself.” messages, I try to stop and ask God, “What do You say about me?”

Then the hard part comes. I have to listen. And if you know me, you know I’m a busy brain. I’m noisy in the head, always thinking and processing. So even listening is an act of surrender for me.

I really only have two choices when it comes to shame.

1. Keep listening to voice of shame for the rest of my earthly life and be miserable.

OR

2.  Surrender to God, listen and live free.

Tonight I’m choosing to believe God.

He says I am free.

I say, “Free indeed. Thank You.”

(for more support on shame, please visit the drop down bar of my website for further blog posts on this topic)