Before you hit play, take a deep breath in asking God for courage and kindness for yourself. Exhale to release anything you believe about sexual sin and shame.
This next hour is not your typical Christian approach to sexual brokenness. In our interview with therapist, author, and speaker, Jay Stringer pushes against the expected talk of repentance and sin. Instead, you’ll hear about honesty and honor. If you condemn yourself in what seems like an endless cycle of triggers and shame, then settle in. We will explore the power you have in facing the past and dig into beliefs that “shame convinces us that we are unwanted and we pursue behavior that confirms it.”
This conversation is startling and refreshing.
As hard as it sounds, facing your pain is the way to fighting for your freedom. So often, Stringer says, we want to skip to the part where God saves the day. The problem is we end up missing the gift of endurance modeled by Jesus.
This conversation is rich with wisdom emphasizing the importance of working backward to follow the roadmap laid out by your lust. Tracing the story back through your lust to find a way to honor you. It’s time to invest your loyalty in you.
We pray and hope this serves you as a companion to starting your own conversation, to connecting the dots on your past to bring healing into your future.
You deserve it.
Shifting the story on shame, this is your next step on “Becoming Whole.”
Highlights:
I can try and stop this behavior and try and white knuckle this thing and pray that the gospel would eventually change my heart or I can allow the gospel to actually allow me to be curious about things that I don’t want to have to face
give me my own way but also give me a place where I don’t have to feel the emptiness and pain of my life
In many ways, we create a court of law with all this evidence that actually supports the verdict against ourselves
Questions:
Can you think of 1 or 2 people you can count on to help you challenge repetition and shame?
Think back to a time where you knew a lot of harm -whether that was abuse, bullying, or disengagement- does your heart break for him or her? Does your heart want goodness? Or is your heart still ashamed of what they did?
Try to answer these questions God asks to Honor your story: Why are you angry? Where do you come from? Where are you going? Jesus asks, “What is it you want me to do for you?”
Resources/Extras:
Unwanted: How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way to Healing
Sexual Behavior Self Assessment
The Journey Course
“I had been my whole life a bell, and never knew it until at that moment I was lifted and struck.” ― Annie Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek
“If you don’t act like prey, they won’t treat you like prey.” - Andy Casagrande, on photographing sharks
“Blessed are those w
Free Resources to help you on your journey to Becoming Whole
👉Men's Overcoming Lust & Temptation Devotional
👉Women 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Women overcoming unwanted sexual Behavior)
👉Compass 21-Day Prayer Journal & Devotional - (Wives who are or have been impacted by partner betrayal)