F. Remy Diederich > Quotes

“Let’s find out where your shame came from by taking a look at your past. But before we do that, I want to address a common misconception people have about looking at their past. I have heard many people misinterpret the apostle Paul’s words: I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…Philippians 3:13 People use this verse to teach that a person should never reflect on their past to resolve their present problems. They think looking to your past is a sign of doubt and weak faith. “Good Christians” should forget about their past, they say, and focus on who they are as a believer in Jesus. That might sound good, but I couldn't disagree more. That kind of thinking is both unbiblical and illogical. It is unbiblical because Paul wasn’t telling people to forget past problems. He was simply referring to his former life when he sought to please God through religious works like praying, giving money, or fasting. He boasted about these religious habits as if they got him closer to God. But he stopped that kind of foolish thinking when he came to learn what Jesus had done for him. Paul wasn’t making an all-inclusive statement telling people to forget everything about their past. He was simply telling his personal story and encouraging people to find their acceptance from God based on his love, not on their good works. To read more into his words is to twist the meaning.”
― F. Remy Diederich, Healing the Hurts of Your Past: A Guide to Overcoming the Pain of Shame

“Bad Faith Experiences Trust is broken through a variety of bad faith experiences. They can be grouped into four general categories: -Insensitivity. Spiritual leaders, or people in a faith community, lack the emotional intelligence to treat you thoughtfully and with the basic kindness reflected by the love of God. -Toxic Faith. Spiritual leaders teach a theologically incorrect message, often involving a legalistic, performance-based belief system, which distorts one’s relationship with God and people. -Spiritual Abuse. Spiritual leaders use their authority to manipulate and control people for their personal gain and to the detriment of the believer. -Mind-Control. Spiritual leaders strip people of their identity and reshape them into their own image.”
― F. Remy Diederich, Broken Trust: …a practical guide to identify and recover from toxic faith, toxic church, and spiritual abuse