<p>What does it look like to worship God when you’re carrying shame, guilt, or unresolved pain?<br /></p><p>In this powerful conversation, I sit down with <strong>Thomas Davis</strong> — Pastor and ministry leader of 20 years, currently pursuing his Master’s in Professional Counseling — to talk about <strong>authentic worship</strong>, <strong>emotional healing</strong>, and how our <strong>family-of-origin</strong> and past wounds shape the way we approach God.</p><p>Thomas shares his personal story of growing up in a performance-driven environment, the anxiety and striving that followed him into ministry, and how worship became a place where he encountered a <strong>loving God who accepts us as we are</strong> — no striving, no measuring up required.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>We also dig deep into:</p><ul><li><p><strong>Worship when you’re carrying shame, guilt, or unresolved pain</strong> — and why authenticity is the sign of someone who’s not hiding from God.</p></li><li><p>Why Christians often feel uncomfortable with pain and suffering, and how counseling can help us embrace both.</p></li><li><p>The C.S. Lewis quote that reframes pain as God’s “megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”</p></li><li><p>What to say to a young adult who feels “not spiritually strong enough” or “not good enough” to approach God.</p></li><li><p><strong>Performance-based faith</strong> — how dysfunctional or works-driven family dynamics can carry into our relationship with God.</p></li><li><p>How <strong>family systems theory</strong> and <strong>attachment theory</strong> reveal the link between our earthly relationships and how we relate to our Heavenly Father.</p></li><li><p>Why some people feel God’s love is conditional — and how to heal from that belief.</p></li><li><p>Practical steps to reconnect with worship when you feel <strong>spiritually numb</strong> or emotionally disconnected from God.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></li></ul><p>Thomas doesn’t shy away from the real and the raw — and if you’ve ever wrestled with distorted views of God, emotional disconnection, or trying to earn God’s love, this episode will speak directly to your heart.</p><p><strong>Key Quote from Thomas:</strong></p><p>“Worship provided an avenue for me to encounter a loving God who didn’t ask me to measure up, but accepted me anyway.”</p><p><strong>Mentioned in this Episode:</strong><br />📖 <em>The Problem of Pain</em> by C.S. Lewis<br />📜 The Psalms — honest prayers from the heart</p><p><strong>If you’re searching for:</strong></p><ul><li><p>How to worship God in hard seasons</p></li><li><p>Overcoming shame in the Christian life</p></li><li><p>Healing from performance-based Christianity</p></li><li><p>Understanding emotional healing through worship</p></li><li><p>How family-of-origin affects your faith</p><p>…this episode is for you.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></li></ul><p>🎧 <strong>Listen in, and discover how to bring your whole, authentic self into God’s presence — even in seasons of pain.</strong></p><p></p>