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Shame's Sneaky Relatives

by Abby Kelly
3/06/2014 / Self Help

Shame: "The painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another:"

That's what dictionary.com says shame is. And, being the lover of words that I am, I knew that. So, I really didn't think I had a shame problem. But that was before I knew that Shame has a half-sister and two evil step-daughters.

I first met False Humility, Shame's sneaky half-sister when I was a young teenager. I've always been averagenot excellent or super smart. I'm not super athletic, super talented or super funny. I'm just plain-jane average. Cast beneath the spotlight of my brilliant younger sister, I quickly discounted anything positive about myself. She was everything I was and more; everything I did she could do better.

When we were kids, I quit playing softball and became the bat-girl for her team. I quit learning piano and quit the swim team because she did those things better, too. I played the martyr at home, always the one to give in, defer or tap-out.

It kind of looked like humility when I stepped aside and applauded her successes while mumbling something like, "I'm okay, just not awesome."

Next, I was introduced to Shame's step-daughter, Pride. She raised her ugly head in the middle of my battle with anorexia. For fourteen years I excelled at starving. No one wanted to compete with me, but I competed with everyone. In my malnourished mind, I "won" every time I was thinner than another girl, every time I turned down food that another person simply couldn't resist, every time I went for a long run in the rain while others pulled the sheets over their heads and enjoyed the warmth of a cozy bed. I was an excellent anorexic. All the while, shameful thoughts about my body and personal value swam circles in my mind.

Fear arrived shortly after my recovery from anorexia as I began to share my testimony for the glory of God and the encouragement of others. Fear is Shame's other step-daughter. When I wrote my book, got a publisher and saw it appear on Amazon, Fear started to mock me. No one is going to buy or read this book. You are going to let down your agent, publisher and family. Everyone has had such high expectations of you and believed you could do thisthey are going to be so disappointed.

I've felt sluggish and demoralized for several days now, muddling through the successive concussions of fear following the publication of my book. But fear forced to me look to the God who loves me, because "perfect love casts out fear."

This morning I opened my Bible to Psalm 25. This single chapter has a lot to say about shame in the life of a Christ-follower. As I read, hope and renewed energy flooded through me. Shame has no place in my life and no power over me.

"I trust in thee: let me not be ashamedno one who hopes in you will ever be put to shameO keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee."

Learn more about me on my website: http://predatory-lies.com/about-me/

Please find my book on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Predatory-Lies-Anorexia-Kelly-ebook/dp/B00HFGMBJA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1389645006&sr=8-1&keywords=predatory+lies

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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