TAKING THE MASK OFF
Why are we so afraid to let people see our true selves? For a long time I felt like I needed to be this super smart, strong, a put together kind of person but really I just wanted to say, “I don’t know the answer to that” or “I am not strong enough to do that.” Why do we feel the need to pretend to be something that we are not? Letting people see the real us is scary! When we take the mask off and speak from the heart we become vulnerable. When we let people see our imperfections we open ourselves up for rejection and that hurts. We don’t want people to know that we are flawed, that we don’t have it all together or that we don’t know what we are doing. So we put on a mask and pretend. But what if we gave ourselves permission to just be what God made us to be? Let people see that our lives are not perfect but messy? What if your story of brokenness or hurt could be used to help bring hope to someone who is desperately seeking it? This is what I have come to know. God already knows what is behind your mask, and he knows your fear. I also know that God weaves stories into our lives, often through pain and suffering so that we can grow and then share these stories with others to encourage them and build their faith. God has never expected us to be perfectly strong and all put together. In fact God is the one who said that “for my power is made perfect in weakness.” He tells us that His “grace is sufficient for us,” (2 Corinthians 12:9). The Apostle Paul say’s then, that he “will boast all the more gladly about his weaknesses, so that Christ’s power can rest on him.” He finishes by saying, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
God will use you so much more effectively when you remove your mask and allow yourself to be vulnerable to others. When they see that you are much like them in that you have struggles, hardships and difficulties, they will be able to identify with you on a much deeper level. The words you speak to them, through the power of Christ, will have a bigger impact as they see you walking in confidence, relying on Christ and his promises. So let’s think about it. There is only one person that you need to please and that person already knows your weaknesses and faults. He already knows your fears and shortcomings so why not lose the mask, stop pretending and let others see the glory of God that shines through his power in you?