35. Healing Shame: Making Room for God's Love (Inner Healing Series)
The Normal Christian Life
This podcast episode delves into the topic of shame and its impact on spiritual and emotional healing. Fr. Michael, Fr. Christopher, and Joe discuss how shame is often a subtle and deeply rooted wound that affects people's ability to experience God's love and delight. They emphasize that shame is not just another wound, but a core wound since the fall of humanity. The hosts explain how shame can prevent individuals from walking confidently in their faith, as it leads to self-rejection, a sense of inadequacy, and a distorted view of one's worth. The discussion also covers how shame can manifest in different ways, such as scrupulosity, striving for perfection, or struggling with vulnerability. Healing from shame, they argue, requires vulnerability—bringing one’s wounds to God and others in trusted relationships. They stress the importance of confession, openness, and allowing oneself to experience God's love even in moments of brokenness. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to seek healing by addressing childhood wounds and learning to accept love and forgiveness instead of living under the burden of shame.