Finding the Love that Casts Out Shame
PRAYER IN THE GARDEN Matthew 26:36-56 , Mark 14:32-52 , Luke 22:39-53 , John 18:1-10 Jesus prays in Gethsemane and is arrested. (Image courtesy of Free Bible Images ) One of the more important and powerful verses in the Bible says this, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." (1 John 4:18) Though I might modify it a little, "There is no shame in love, but perfect love casts out shame." (And just to qualify, I am not talking about healthy shame, but the toxic kind. Healthy shame serves to protect love.) If we want to break free from toxic shame and the multitude of unhealthy behaviors that it causes, we need love. We crave nothing more than love. It is our greatest need. In order to be truly loved, we must be truly known. It is that deep, powerful love that will overcome the shame that binds us. But with toxic shame driving the bus, we will never find it. Toxic shame forces us to hide what is really going on inside of us. It convinces ...