Not a Doormat

[Mark Dohle]

Not a Doormat

“Jesus commands us to take our Cross and follow Him, but that does not mean we should condone abusive behavior. Allowing others to use us as “doormats” or failing to stand up for ourselves is to live in bondage, not humility. Jesus came to set us free from disorders, fears, wounds, and dysfunctions. If we remain in them, we cannot grow in humility”.

Community of Jesus Crucified
Simple Union with God
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I often realize that I can be more driven than I think. The journey to inner freedom is not a one-time event; it is an ongoing process throughout life. It is easy to fall into the trap of believing that I must never stand up for myself, thinking I somehow deserve poor treatment. This can be an unconscious process, as my inner voices disguise themselves in many forms. Fear of what others will think of me often keeps me from speaking up, creating a psychological prison that is hard to escape.


Over the years, I have learned to be gently blunt when I am grounded. However, when I am not, my bluntness is something I try to avoid. Prayer has been a great source of inner healing. It is not just about asking for something but understanding that God is one with us, even though it is easy to be blind to that reality. Over time, prayer has made me aware that I need to speak up for myself and not worry about what others think. If I can’t stop worrying, I speak up anyway. I have found that I need to swim upstream to grow into freedom, allowing me to face myself and understand that I am responsible for my situation. Blaming others is useless.-Br.MD

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