(From If I Were the Devil: The War on Love Podcast!) The Wounded Self

We are to Love our Neighbor as Ourselves: What is our Self? This episode about how the self gets wounded.

1. Redefining Love Through Scripture

Read 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 slowly. As you read each characteristic of love (patient, kind, not self-seeking, etc.), reflect: What messages about love did I learn in childhood that contradict God's definition? Write about one specific "love lesson" from your family of origin and how it has shaped your relationships. How is God inviting you to unlearn this pattern and embrace His superior way of love?

2. From Shame to Identity in Christ

The transcript speaks of shame as "turning on ourselves" and fearing exposure. Read Romans 8:1 ("There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus"). Journal about a specific area where you still carry shame—where you feel "not good enough" or like a fraud. What would it look like to bring this into God's perfect love that "casts out fear" (1 John 4:18)? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth about who He says you are in this area.

3. Identifying Your "Egypt"

In Luke 9:23, Jesus calls us to "deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow Him." The transcript explains this means denying our "shame-filled, self-seeking wounded selves" that seek love in counterfeit ways. What is your "Egypt"—the familiar but unhealthy pattern or coping mechanism you keep returning to when uncomfortable emotions arise? What comfort or false sense of control does it provide? What might God be inviting you to trust Him with instead as He leads you toward the "Promised Land" of freedom?

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