Have you ever felt as though you were fighting an invisible enemy in your own mind, dear heart — or noticed how one careless word can unravel an entire day?🤔 I have. There has never been a time in my life that I've not known shame. So many of us carry truths in our heads that never quite settle into our hearts. Our lives become shaped not by what we know, but by hidden beliefs and unhealed wounds that whisper their own stories beneath the surface. These unseen narratives become quiet architects, forming the framework of our reactions, our relationships, and even the way we see ourselves.

This journal entry explores six surprising truths that reveal why we feel stuck at times, why certain patterns keep repeating, and why the journey to healing is often more about remembering than learning. These insights offer both clarity and a gentle invitation to freedom.

1. Forgetting Who You Are Means Forgetting God

There is a scene in The Lion King that echoes the cry of many hearts. Simba, ashamed and running from who he was created to be, hears Mufasa say: "You’ve forgotten who you are, and so you have forgotten me."

The moment shame distorts our identity, it often distorts our view of God as well. When we believe we are unworthy, irreparably broken, or defined by past mistakes, the image we hold of God becomes shadowed by our own pain. The Israelites forgot who they were, and their kingdom withered. In the same way, when we forget our identity in Christ, the "kingdom" entrusted to our influence suffers.

Reclaiming identity is not merely emotional work; it is holy work. It restores both our vision of God and our calling in His kingdom.

2. Shame Tempts You to Think Small

Shame shrinks the soul. It convinces us to see giants as undefeatable and ourselves as insignificant. When the spies returned from the promised land, they said: "We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes." Their identity was still shaped by slavery.

David, facing Goliath, saw things differently. He did not focus on the size of his enemy but on the greatness of his God.

Shame distorts reality. Faith restores it.

3. Your Brain’s Alarm System Can Get Stuck "On"

Trauma can train the amygdala — the brain’s alarm system — to fire even when the danger has long passed. When it hijacks the logical brain, no amount of reasoning can talk it down. This is why some reactions feel illogical, overwhelming, or "too much." They are not moral failures; they are physiological memories.

Understanding this brings compassion. Healing begins not with self-condemnation but with gentle awareness.

4. "Nice" Is Not a Fruit of the Holy Spirit

"Niceness" is often fear dressed in courtesy — a survival strategy born from the need to avoid conflict or disapproval. It is not the same as kindness, love, or faithfulness, which are the true fruits of the Holy Spirit.

Niceness performs. Love transforms.

Releasing the need to be "nice" frees us to walk in truth, courage, and Spirit-led compassion.

5. Childhood Lies Can Become Walls Against Adult Truth

Some of the deepest wounds are formed long before we have language for them. The "foundational lies" birthed in childhood — through trauma, neglect, or the absence of needed affirmation — often become so deeply rooted that adult truth cannot find a place to rest.

Scripture or encouragement may be heard, yet they bounce off the heart because the underlying soil has not been healed.

Healing begins when the lie is exposed, allowing truth to take root at last.

6. Your Overreactions Are a Map to Unhealed Wounds

When your reaction is far bigger than the moment, your heart is revealing a deeper truth. The "big feelings" are not the problem — they are the map. They point to an older wound, still waiting for healing.

This is not failure; this is an invitation.

Conclusion: From Architect to Archaeologist

We often try to build a better life atop cracked foundations, then wonder why everything keeps collapsing. Healing invites us to become archaeologists rather than architects — to gently uncover the buried lies, the forgotten wounds, the places still held captive by yesterday.

What if your deepest struggles are not evidence of failure but markers of where God longs to bring freedom?🤔

He meets us not at the surface, but in the hidden depths where truth restores and love rebuilds.

💡 Reflection

• Where have I forgotten who I am in Christ, and how has that shaped my decisions? 🤔

• Which area of my life feels "small," and what shame-rooted belief may be influencing that? 🤔

• What recent overreaction might be pointing to an older wound needing healing? 🤔

• Which foundational lie have I believed that the Holy Spirit may be gently bringing into the light? 🤔

🎺 Affirmation

I am seen, known, and loved by God. My identity is secure in Him, and He is healing every hidden place with truth and grace. I am not stuck — I am being restored.

🙌 Prayer

Holy Spirit, thank You for shining Your gentle light on the hidden places of my heart. Help me to see myself as You see me, to recognise the lies I have believed, and to walk in the fullness of the identity You have given me. Heal every wound that still echoes in my reactions, and lead me into freedom with Your tender wisdom. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.