Thank you for choosing to engage with the Desire series.
We hope this guide will help you discuss the material with a friend. Your conversation will be more rewarding if you take some time to read through the article and this guide before you meet.
Getting Started
- If you’re comfortable doing so, invite God to be part of your conversation.
- Discuss what stood out to you from the article.
- Talk about anything from the article that you have questions about or don’t understand.
Key Points From Article #1
- Shame is believing you are unworthy of love because of who you are or something you’ve done.
Discuss:
- How have you experienced sexual shame? If you’re comfortable, share that with your discussion partner.
- Shame by its nature is isolating; it makes us want to hide our true selves.
Discuss:
- Read Genesis 3:6-10. Why is it natural to want to run and hide from feelings of shame?
- In order to gain acceptance, how do you try to cover up on the outside the inadequacies you feel on the inside?
- Why can’t you overcome shame by hiding or isolating yourself?
- Intimacy and shame cannot coexist. Intimacy can be established by being honest about your pain and struggles with a safe person. This can be difficult, depending on your background.
Discuss:
- Did you grow up in a family where sex was talked about as something dirty or dangerous?
- Was it talked about at all?
- How has that affected the way you think about sex?
Next Steps — Read through these together.
- Start the healing process by talking honestly to God about any sexual shame you feel. He is the safest one you can turn to.
- Mark a date on your calendar to discuss another article from the Desire series.
