Dr. Paul Looney Paul Looney, MD

There are predictable directions we head when we feel the sting of shame. If we don't share it and shed it, it moves us to cover up, hide out, blame, or justify and excuse. At the heart of shame is alienation, and it can lead up to self-harm or annihilation. If we face it and share it, it opens us to grace. Grace is the favor we do not deserve, and at the heart of grace is acceptance and affection. We cannot heal our own shame. It disconnects us from relationship and can only be healed by reaching out to God and others. 

Shame is a universally painful experience we feel when we become aware of our inadequacy, our brokenness, our failures, and flaws. It can push us down into isolation and drive us deep into disconnection and alienation. At its worst, it can lead to annihilation. But when we choose to reach out and share our shame, we open ourselves to acceptance and grace. 

On this episode of The Westcliffe Climb, Joshua Duffy and Paul Looney discuss God's desire to partner with us to grow us and fill us with HIs love. 

In this podcast Dave James challenges us to leave the beach of denial and get on board with recovery. His humorous and engaging style helps bring home the point of this powerful message. Surf's up!

As we let go of our fantasy of running our own show, we can determine to let our loving Father have the reins. In the third beatitude, Jesus promises - "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." When we surrender to God, everything He has becomes available for our enjoyment.

In the second beatitude, Jesus extols the virtue of grieving. When we have invested emotionally in something and lose it, we must mourn to let go. Ironically, grieving the past prepares us to embrace the future. Avoiding our feelings allows them to control us, but when face them and cast our cares on God, we find He calls us near.