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The Power to Choose

The power of choice is one of the greatest gifts God has given us as His image-bearers. People controlled by shame often feel that they don’t have that power—that their lives are limited by the circumstances of their past, or the control or scrutiny of others. Therefore, they often feel that their future is completely out of their hands. 

I felt this way for many years; that my history would define my destiny because I’d been abused. Abuse, by its very nature, is perpetrated by someone stronger—either physically or psychologically—on someone weaker or less powerful. Because of this, abuse makes a person feel powerless. But when I discovered I could actually choose for myself, that was a huge revelation. The truth of God’s Word brought me new light and strength.

It was as if a lightbulb turned on! I saw that I did not need to remain a victim. No, I could not change the past—neither what happened to me nor what I had done—but I could make decisions now that would change the future. Not just for me, but for the generations who would come after me. I had allowed the enemy to convince me that I was powerless, voiceless, helpless, useless, meaningless, a victim of all that had happened to me, but now I saw that I had the power to choose freedom.

A key to becoming shame-free is choosing to change your perspective, because when you do, you can begin to change your posture. When you choose to focus more on what Jesus has done for you than on what others have done or said to you, you will have the faith to stand up and start moving forward.