Being Real

We all do it.  Every day.  Every morning.  We get up and start our day.  Some might have their quiet time.  Some might head straight to the coffee pot.  Some might get up and hit the floor running.  But before we are out the door into the real world, we put our masks on.  We put on the smile that says we are OK.  We put on the front that our lives are just honky dory (is that a word?).  We all "act" as if we have it together and know what we are doing.  We want to APPEAR to others that we are who we pretend to be.  We even convince ourselves of it most days.

After going on an Emmaus Walk a couple years ago and being a part of an amazing group of ladies, I realized we all have our junk.  Broken or strained relationships, disappointments and discouragement from our loved ones, too much temptation to bear in some situations are just a few that come to mind.  But to the outside world, we want everyone to think life is OK so we put on our mask.

One think I have learned in ministry is that I can reach more people by being real.  Revealing mistakes I have made and disappointments I have caused others are just naming a few.  After all, I am human.  But One thing I have come to know is this: Jesus loves me regardless of the mistakes I have made in my life.  He loves me so much that He suffered on a cross and bore the shame just so I can be forgiven.  Oh how I love Him for this.

I once heard a preacher say, "We go through unpleasant things in life and learn from them.  And while those unpleasant things are miserable when we are going through them, they can be used for God's glory."  Yes, as a matter of fact they can.  You see, God can take the dirt that Satan has on us and sprinkle His love into our soil make us bloom and grow.  That is what He has done for me.  I guess He has had to sprinkle A LOT of love because I had A LOT of dirt but PRAISE GOD He had and continues to have enough to saturate my soil!

This week in Bible study, I heard Priscilla Shirer say that God doesn't want us to just HEAR Him, He wants us to KNOW Him.  When we KNOW Him, we will hear His voice.  And how do we get to know Him?  Like any other relationship we have: we spend time with Him.  Reading His Word and thinking about what we've read, talking to Him, singing to Him, praising Him and the list could go on and on.  Don't you think our lives get so busy that we don't take the time to "spend" with Him?  Yes, they do but that's when we have to prioritize our time.  It's easy for me, especially with 2 girls involved with so many activities, to keep putting off time until at 9 p.m. and then I am exhausted from the day and doze off when I crack my Bible open.  I make it a priority to take a little time first thing in the morning to devote to Him.  It makes a huge difference in my day.  Then throughout the day, I will think back about what I read that morning and can hear Him softly speak something into my spirit.  Now I will admit, some mornings I want to just hit the snooze button and sleep an extra 15 minutes but I am to the point in my life that I know if I do that, my day will NOT go as smoothly.  He just gets me off on the right foot!

Now don't go and beat yourself up if you haven't taken time to spend with Him today.  There is tomorrow.  Make Him priority.  Try it and see if your day doesn't go better!  If it doesn't, will you please comment and let me know?  And if it does go better, will you let me know also?  I would LOVE to hear your thoughts!  God willing, I will catch y'all later!