I Wonder...

I wonder...

Why do so many of us still wear masks? Why is it that we still hide our struggles, fears, and anything that we feel make us less than perfect? What do we think we gain from that?

Why is it that when we need our greatest support systems  we shut down and block others out?

Why is it that we feel like we can hide our deepest emotions from God?  Don't we know that He already knows our every thought?  Don't we know that He can handle our EVERY emotion?  Even the darkest ones.  He's felt every single one Himself.

He knows what is to be betrayed.

He knows what it is to wish that He could take a different path, but still say "yes" to the will of His father.

He knows physical pain.

He knows suffering.

He knows.

He understands.

He loves and offers grace and mercy.

Why is it that we know these things to be true and yet...

We still hide.

We still answer "I'm fine!" when others ask how we are doing.
We still carry this attitude of I can handle it on my own.

When will we realize that when others offer to help us and we say "no" or "I'm fine", we quite possibly are robbing THEM of a blessing. God may be speaking to THEIR heart about reaching out and we can be stepping in the way of allowing them to be used by Him.

When will realize that many times when someone asks us how we are doing, they are sincerely asking. OR when they ask if there is a way they can help, they truly want to lift at least a small portion of our burden---even if it's just to let us know that we are not alone and have an advocate.

Today, through multiple situations, I realized that many of us battle these things.

Yet...

We need to realize....

We don't have to be as strong as we make ourselves seem.  Others truly want to share the burden. It's ok to not be perfect and let our walls down.  IT REALLY IS OK! It actually creates relationship when we become vulnerable.

We REALLY don't have to hide ourselves from God.  He's actually waiting for us to come to Him with how we TRULY feel....we don't have to "scrub" or "spit shine" ourselves first. We don't have to give Him the politically correct version of what we are feeling.  He just wants US and in our rawest form is perfectly acceptable.

It's ok to NOT have the answers to give a friend struggling.  We can just make sure they know we are here to LOVE them through the situations. If nothing else, PRAY for the situation.  Sincerely pray.  Not just say "I'm praying" and then not give it much more of a passing thought. 

We have this amazing support system as a body of believers. We should never walk a difficult path alone.  We should never allow another brother/sister in Christ walk alone either.

Heavy on my heart tonight to know that I'm guilty of both at different times. Walking alone by refusing to let others in and also of not reaching out to someone hurting or struggling.  Praying that God will continue to soften my heart in both regards and that I will learn to respond accordingly.

I wonder...

What a difference it would make in the world if we just started being real with each other.