Confronting Shame

February 11, 2019

Rev. Jason Gaskin

The past few weeks we have been talking about the radical call that Jesus gives to his disciples to follow him. This Sunday we will talk about the biggest obstacle to this call. We might think that the biggest obstacle might be our time or priorities but it isn't. Our biggest obstacle is shame. We all have this inner voice that tells us that we are no good, a failure, useless, stupid, etc,. It is the voice that we would never tell to someone else but we tell it to ourselves. Many of us have figured out ways to silence this voice. We do things that don't awaken shame. We don't take risks. We silence it by numbingly scrolling through hours of facebook, youtube or other addictions. Or we silence it by seeking power, influence, and control over others in and outside of the church. Every time I see gifting in someone and I call it out... the first response is... I could never do that... I am not good enough... or holy enough... and so we continue to stay on the sidelines. Because once we are exposed and vulnerable... or we take that risk... the voice comes back. It gets louder and louder. To follow Jesus means that we must confront this voice of shame and expose it for the lies that it tells. Confronting it over and over again. To follow Jesus is to buy into what Jesus believes about us. We are people that God so loved that world that HE gave his life. That is our value. That is our worth. God has gifted each of us. God has given each of us purpose and meaning. We have to confront this voice of shame often. We have to tell this voice of shame that we are of great worth and God says so... that is the only way we can truly follow Jesus.