Removing Your Shame Label: Learning to Break From Shame and Feel God’s Love

By Eddie Capparucci Ph.D., LPC, CSAS, CPCS

Many Christians struggle to feel God’s love because of their own shame. This book tackles an issue that is not addressed enough in our churches – Christians who live and suffer with shame because they do not believe they measure up to receive God’s love. As a result, they feel disconnected from God and have a difficult time feeling His love.

As a Christian counselor with a private practice in Marietta, GA, I see two frightening similarities in many Christian clients.

1. They carry a burden of shame that results from an inability to control sinful behavior. We tend to believe God’s seal of approval is based on our “performance.” This creates a mindset of never measuring up to what God expects from us. This leads to what I call a Shame Label.

2. There is an endless struggle to feel God’s love and presence. “What does God’s love feel like” we ask. We dare not move toward Him in fear He will label us as disappointments and reject us. What we fail to recognize is we are projecting the negative feelings we have about ourselves onto God. We have adopted lies Satan drills into our heads in an attempt to hinder our relationship with the Father. We are trapped in the Christian Shame Cycle, which leaves us feeling spiritually empty.

What makes this book unique?

This book outlines various methods to help us manage destructive behaviors such as self-loathing, undisciplined thinking, inflated pride, excessive worrying, and loving with conditions. Learning to love ourselves leads to removal of shame and in turn a better understanding of how God sees us. This is not about teaching people to try harder to control sinful desires; it is about giving them real solutions to manage sinful behaviors. This is an integrated approach of Christian values and counseling exercises to help readers:

• Break their destructive sin cycle
• Reduce their level of shame
• Forge confidence in a renewed relationship with God

These are clinical and spiritual approaches I utilize in my own practice and have seen work with my clients. Case studies are utilized to provide readers with real-world experiences.

The objective of this book is to bring Christians out of spiritual darkness by assisting them in establishing an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. It will help individuals overcome illogical thinking that leads them to wear negative shame labels. It also will correct their misperception that God rejects them. My overall objective is to help readers rid themselves of shame by learning how to better managing their destructive behaviors and enjoy a more intimate relationship with God.