Shame and Grace: Healing the Shame We Don't Deserve

By Lewis B. Smedes

Book Overview

With his customary candor, compassion, and wit, the bestselling author of Forgive and Forget explores the many faces of shame, helping us distinguish between the shame that helps us be our best and the inappropriate shame that crushes our spirit. Drawing on psychology, philosophy, and literature, Smedes presents a roadmap to healing based on grace. An important book that will offer hope to those who are unhappy with themselves and don't know why.--Madeleine L'Engle.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060675217
• ISBN13: 9780060675219
• Release Date: January 1
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Length: 170 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 6.4" x 0.8"

Customer Reviews

Break Those Addictions!

If you have addictions of any kind, you should read this book. At the core of what keeps us addicted is often shame and the rejection of the power of grace. We may be shamed by ourselves, our family, our church or our society. We miss the magnitude and scope of God's grace. Satan thrives on that and convinces us how despicable we are, driving us further into our addictions (how can a miserable person like me deserve to be close to God). A vicious cycle, which was close to being broken, continues anew. This book helps us understand that, which gets us on the path to recovery.

Excellent read and thoughtful...

This book was recommended to me by a counsellor. I could hardly put it down. Even after 3 years of Seminary training some of the principles and perspectives presented here were refreshing to my soul. Buy it and read it and give it to someone you love.

The Most Useful Book I've Read About Grace

I've read a few books on grace recently and none were as complete or as interesting as this one. The author shares his experiences and is very practical in discussing what shame, forgiveness, and grace are and aren't.There are other popular books out there that discuss grace (Amazing Grace by Philip Yancey, In the Grip of Grace by Max Lucado, and The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning) that are fine books in their own right. As fine as they are, this book starts with the problem of shame and then walks you through to grace. It just seems to be more complete than giving you feel-good grace or trying to provide answers as to why the church seems to lack it today. This book just seems to be on a more practical, personal level.

Hits the nail of shame on the head, and then removes it!

Smedes delivers an incredible gift by identifying where we took on shame, what it looks and feels like, and then proceeds to dismantle it's power with the truth of grace. Especially helpful to those who know God loves them, but can't understand the darkness they struggle with and why it's so hard to love themselves.