People are only held hostage because they’re weak.
There, I said it. And don’t look at me that way—I know you were thinking the same thing on Sunday morning. I don’t beat my dog, abuse drugs, or suffer from a lack of self-esteem. Remember the last series? I’m a Warrior, right?
Just don’t ask me about the time I…
Can you complete that sentence? I bet all of us can. It’s funny how a mere paragraph ago I was wallowing in self righteousness, convinced that hearing the rest of this series would be a waste of my time. And then I started to think.
About the time I made a joke at a loved one’s expense and they heard me.
About the time I said that awful thing to my neighbor.
About the time I put myself first and my marriage suffered.
Each of those times I’ve gone back to the person I hurt and asked for their forgiveness. But it doesn’t seem to be enough. I can replay each of the incidents in my mind, watching the hurt register on the injured person’s face.
I’m held hostage by my shame.
Are you there with me?
On Sunday, Mark said that, ‘shame is the assault on our identity that claims that we are not who we really are.’ You see, by asking for forgiveness from the person I’ve wronged, I should be in the clear. I shouldn’t shudder and want to bury my head in my hands when I relive the memory of each of those events.
But I still do.
So how do we leave our shame behind us? How do we break free from the things that hold us hostage? I’m not sure, but I’d like to find out.
Join me on this journey. The battle is waiting.
- Don
Ask for forgiveness??? Don’t think of LPV as a sanctuary because its not. All I have heard lately is that were “broken”. Lets take some ownership in what we do or say. To continue to do things that hurt others, and always revert back to”we are all broken” is a cop out.
If we are sincere, then lets change! Change means alot more to someone than to say”I’m sorry”