Captive No More: Freedom From Pain, Shame and GuiltParaugs

# Ways We Manage to Avoid Managing Pain > You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” > Galatians 5:13-14 Have you developed your own secret way of helping to ease that hurt? Does your way involve something that, if exposed, would embarrass you, ruin your reputation, or cost you a career? If so, then you are not working toward healing, you are enabling the hurt. It’s not an uncommon practice for us men. We avoid dealing with all types of pain, from physical ailments to emotional trauma. Is it good for us? Not always, but it’s what we do. This is also a practice of avoiding God by not trusting Him to provide for restoration. Why do we avoid God? Because the devil whispers in our ear that we’re not worthy and that we can’t trust God because all He wants to do is convict and punish us. I will tell you that there is no other way to be freed from the pain of your past than through Jesus Christ the great healer and physician. ## Call To Action 1. Write out ways you’ve developed to ease or cope with your past pain. 2. Write out the personal, professional, and social consequences if someone exposed your coping mechanisms.