You make a mistake, and the questions begin. Is God disappointed in me? Is He pulling away? Is this difficult situation happening because I did something wrong? You may have confessed what happened and asked for forgiveness, yet the uneasiness remains. You pray, but part of you wonders whether God is listening. A door closes, a prayer goes unanswered, or something painful happens, and fear rises within you: Maybe God is angry with me. For many people, that question is deeply

The negative influence of shame often finds its place in our lives when we live from alternate identities that are not rooted and...