Title: A Small Book About Why We Hide
Author: Edward T. Welch
Major Themes: Devotionals, Christian Living
Synopsis: A devotional focused on helping us work through regret, shame, and insecurity—and walk into our true identity in Christ.
Sometime late last year, I was talking to a friend about life, faith, and all things in between, and somehow, we got onto the topic of people-pleasing and putting up a front to protect ourselves. “I’ve got a book for you,” she said, and soon afterwards handed me A Small Book About Why We Hide. This is a small book—a cute, chunky hardcover—and I took it home, reading it over the next couple of months.
Publisher’s description:
As humans, we are prone to insecurities, fear of failure, and regrets which we try to hide and cover up, resulting in isolation from both those around us and God. Through fifty devotionals, counselor Edward T. Welch shows us how God speaks with gentleness, depth, and hope that will lead us out of hiding and to live more openly, authentically, and regret-free.
Welch speaks to our struggles with shame, disappointments, and inadequacy with God’s words of love and change. Welch shows us how we were created to be known by God and others, and how hiding undermines these relationships. Each daily devotional focuses on a specific biblical truth that unpacks the reasons underlying our feelings of failure and weakness and then points us in the direction of turning to God for acceptance, identity, and security.
Sometimes we hide because of our own failures and weakness, and sometimes we hide because of what others have done and said to us, but in either case, we can be free from shame because of the work of Christ on the cross. Jesus took our shame on himself, so we can trust that now we are valued children of God.
Through a closer examination of Scripture, we can be assured God will meet us in the insecurities of daily life. We can find true security in his love and live freely and honestly with others.
My thoughts:
This book was such a balm to my soul! Yes, parts of it were difficult to come to terms with, but I loved the way Welch gently but persistently directed us to the cross—and gave practical steps for how to walk into healing because of what Jesus did for us.
This devotional is intended to cover around fifty days. Each day’s reading is somewhere around 3–5 pages long, full of scripture and commentary or stories that illustrate whatever truth is being studied at the moment. At the end of each reading, there are generally two questions that help apply the topic to your life. These questions are not answerable by just “yes” or “no”—they make you think! I appreciated that.
I read through A Small Book About Why We Hide in about two months, and thoroughly appreciated it. It contained a lot of food for thought and many practical, helpful perspectives for helping to walk into healing. I especially appreciated Welch’s efforts to help us bring Jesus into our stories—and from there, to let go of the shame and other things that put up a barrier between us and others, and, more importantly, us and God. I may have read through this book once, but I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of the deep truths contained within these little green covers. I’m looking forward to buying a copy for myself one day and spending more time reading, studying, and praying over these truths again—there’s a lot of gold here!
WARNING: Day 47 talks about a woman who was sexually violated and, as a result, lived in self-harming cycles for a long time.
Age levels:
Reading Independently—Ages 15 and Above, Adults
Links to buy this book:
Amazon: Kindle | Hardcover
AbeBooks: View Choices on AbeBooks.com
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