We can carry so much shame around, inside our heads and hearts. It’s a heavy burden. It keeps us secretive and from being authentic and vulnerable.
I have been pretty vulnerable here with some areas of my life, even some of the toughest areas but there are things that I don’t write about here and I realize now, it’s because shame has woven it’s way in and camped out, making it impossible to be completely vulnerable because of the risk.
Shame is not only something we put upon ourselves but it’s something we put on others as well. “If they knew this about me, they wouldn’t want to be around me” Does that thought sound at all familiar?
When someone has been vulnerable with you and shared something they are ashamed of, how did you respond? Did you scoot in closer, hug them, and encourage? Or did you offer advice or worse condemnation?
They way others react to our being vulnerable can temper whether or not we share anything else. It either proves that we’re right for feeling ashamed or it frees us to connect with others through being authentic and real.
Next week we’re going to talk about shame and vulnerability in a series. Stay tuned and feel free to share on this topic!
Do you struggle with shame? Do you think shame is something you put on yourself or is it brought on by others? Is shame biblical? Should we feel ashamed as Christians? Feel free to share in the comments below.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23
*Watching a few videos by Brené Brown sparked this topic. – I don’t know if she’s a believer and she does swear once in both the videos I watched so be warned but what she had to say was worth listening to on both vulnerability and shame.
I have commented before about my ‘big brother’ he is only a few days older but he loves to tease me about being older and wiser than I am. We have much in common and in our talking about all that was common we found our way to topics that were not always pleasant.
He has had much to say that I needed to hear.
So then why do I still feel that risk? Why is it so hard to call him? Why do I think he doesn’t want to know me.. I worry that he won’t even remember me.