This was uplifting, Julia. It does sound odd to say, but seriously, thank you for inviting me to open up the vulnerable places, sit with my shame, and invite him in to draw near while I’m there. I found this to be a healing experience. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Julia, thank you so much! This comment box became a place where things got very painful and then the answer: "It's OK, you don't even have to be good at handling pain well, or wanting the right things." Another thin layer in the "God can handle my painful emotions and I can survive them" rock that's forming in my life. Thanks for the practice!
You are welcome. So good to hear from you on this! I know you have so much experience to share with us. Please keep reading, and keep telling us your thoughts! They hold a lot of value.
One thing I do want to ask that's a bit about the content of my pain: Are there people out there who have, as much as humanly (and divinely?) possible, disentangled shame from their relationship with God? Sick of the nagging feeling, despite every evidence and experience and assurance I have to the contrary, that God actually is shaking his finger at me.
Do I stop worrying about fixing it once and for all and keep working with God to add layers to my rock whenever it does come up? Yeah, that sounds right.
(Sorry for the double post or if I'm being too personal - I process by writing and it's even more effective when someone might read it)
:) On the theme of the personal being universal (Nouwen), is there research out there about how common spiritual distress is among committed religious people in the general population? I think I saw something once with hospice/hospital settings in mind.
This was uplifting, Julia. It does sound odd to say, but seriously, thank you for inviting me to open up the vulnerable places, sit with my shame, and invite him in to draw near while I’m there. I found this to be a healing experience. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome! Thank you for reading and engaging. That means so much to me.
Hi Julia, thank you so much! This comment box became a place where things got very painful and then the answer: "It's OK, you don't even have to be good at handling pain well, or wanting the right things." Another thin layer in the "God can handle my painful emotions and I can survive them" rock that's forming in my life. Thanks for the practice!
You are welcome. So good to hear from you on this! I know you have so much experience to share with us. Please keep reading, and keep telling us your thoughts! They hold a lot of value.
One thing I do want to ask that's a bit about the content of my pain: Are there people out there who have, as much as humanly (and divinely?) possible, disentangled shame from their relationship with God? Sick of the nagging feeling, despite every evidence and experience and assurance I have to the contrary, that God actually is shaking his finger at me.
Do I stop worrying about fixing it once and for all and keep working with God to add layers to my rock whenever it does come up? Yeah, that sounds right.
(Sorry for the double post or if I'm being too personal - I process by writing and it's even more effective when someone might read it)
Process away! I am sure it will be helpful for others too.
:) On the theme of the personal being universal (Nouwen), is there research out there about how common spiritual distress is among committed religious people in the general population? I think I saw something once with hospice/hospital settings in mind.