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Most of us can probably rattle off a list of things we don’t like about ourselves. Some of these things are likely physical attributes that we’re dissatisfied with, but we are usually pretty well aware of some of personality defects too. Without hesitation, we own that we are impatient or worriers or complainers. We may talk to our friends about our flaws and we likely talk to the Lord about them as well, asking His help to improve our imperfect conditions.
But what about the things we don’t say out loud? There are things about us that we don’t want to own. And most of us hide at least some of these flaws away from others and sometimes even from ourselves. We don’t dare utter them out loud and oftentimes we don’t even discuss them in prayer because it’s just too uncomfortable. People would be surprised and maybe think we are weak if they knew some of our struggles with control issues, with pride, fears, or doubts or whatever we conceal in an effort to convince ourselves and others that we have fewer failings than we do.
The one (or three, actually) that we should be talking to about these hidden faults is God. We needn’t do this to enlighten Him about ourselves. Please! He knows everything about us, certainly more than we admit to others and even more than we admit to ourselves. He formed us and He knows our hearts intimately in a way we can’t even imagine. While we’re not going to surprise Him, the Lord still wants us to reveal ourselves to Him, for our sakes.
God wants us to know Him personally and trust Him implicitly. God wants us to have enough faith to see that no matter what we reveal, it does not change His love for us. Our Creator wants us to love Him so much that we are willing to show Him every single layer down to our core, even the hidden places that are darkened by shame. It’s only when we open ourselves to God in this way that He can shine a light into that darkness. We all know that nothing is as scary in the light as it is in the darkness, and our wonderful Lord wants us to stop being afraid and bring the entirety of ourselves into His healing light.
Reading Scripture and spending time in truly quiet prayer are good ways to start building a relationship that will allow us to reveal more and more of ourselves to the Lord. As the trust grows, we’ll find it easier to let Him into the closed off areas, to see the whole of us. Once we are totally revealed, we will realize that God’s love for us is unchanged and we can experience the depths of His mercy!
Today, ask God for the grace to open up to Him completely. Ask for His healing presence to illuminate the faults we hide in darkness. Let’s all strive to deepen our relationship with the Lord so we can begin to better understand the fullness of His love.
Copyright 2020 Michelle Jones Schroeder
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