You know, one of the common themes in movies these days, well, for a few decades, I guess, is just follow your heart.

But what happens when your heart lies to you? What happens when your heart keeps reminding you of all your failures, your mistakes, your most embarrassing moments.

What about when you are buried in shame?

Then you feel like if someone knew your deep, dark secret, it would never be your friend again.

Oh, if shame is a stronghold that is holding you captive, friend, today's prayer is for you.

Welcome to the Prayers of Rest podcast.

I'm your host, Astrida, and this season we are praying through spiritual strongholds.

We are breaking free today from shame, not through our own strengths, but through the power of God's spirit at work in us.

So I invite you to take a deep breath and quiet your heart as we become aware of God's

loving presence around us and within us.

Today's passage comes from 1 John chapter 3, verses 19 to 20.

This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in His

presence.

If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts,

and He knows everything. So let's begin by reciting God's goodness together.

Oh God, what? As that you know everything.

And yet you still invite us to come to you.

That there is nothing in our past that makes you stop loving us.

Lord God, you are slow to anger.

You are abounding and steadfast love.

You are the one who forgives sins because of the sacrifice of Jesus,

and you cast them in the sea of forgetfulness so that you would remember them no more.

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