Facing My Shadow, Casting It For the Kingdom

“It’s the love of God that makes it safe to come out [of your shadow].”

— Pete Scazzero

TRANSPARENCY is an important concept in the Kingdom, for without transparency we don’t have trust, and if there’s no trust there’s no relationship, and if there’s no relationship there’s no community, and nothing can be changed for the Kingdom of God without community. So, if we’re to be ‘community’ we must first have established transparency within ourselves, that is also ‘projected’ out into our world, in order to build trust and relationship.

When I establish transparency within myself I begin to see where the problems in the world lie — they’re in me. It does me no good whatsoever to think the problems in the world lie in the patch of the world — I can nothing about the world. But I can fix me, through God’s grace and power, when I call him into my life through my vertical (looking upward) relationship with him, to the exclusion of all distractions — like other people and their impact on me.

Facing my shadow and being honest is my acceptance of God’s eternal invitation, so I can be better for me, for others, and for God.

Going Vertical to God and Inward Into My Shadow

In my shadow I think I’m strong,

It’s in my shadow that I won’t last long.

In my shadow I battle and contend,

It’s in my shadow I should try not to defend.

In my shadow I deserve respect!

It’s in my shadow my pride needs to be checked.

It’s in my shadow my standards are high,

But it’s only the Lord I’ll find in the sky!

In my shadow I get tense,

It’s in my shadow I’m reminded I need no defence.

In my shadow I hate delay,

It’s in my shadow I ought to be still today.

In my shadow I’m afraid to lose,

It’s in my shadow I need fear defused.

In my shadow I want my way,

It’s in my shadow I should not want to stay.

In my shadow it’s always their fault,

It’s in my shadow I need to refrain from assault.

In my shadow I find I stray,

It’s in my shadow I need to pray.

In my shadow I’m found weak,

It’s in my shadow I need to seek…

In my shadow… Christ shows me my need of him.

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Going well vertical with God gives us confidence and humility in going horizontal with others. Faith is simple: face God, face your shadow, and only then face others.

Facing your shadow and casting it for the Kingdom is converting sin into God’s light for his glory through humility.

God loves the sinner inside you. Your job is to love the sinner inside you. Accept yourself and life is made 99% easier. Accept yourself and then guilt is not the motive for growth. Accept yourself and healing is possible.

© 2015 Steve Wickham.