To know as we are known. To be seen as we really are is a frightening concept. To take off the mask before you is a surreal moment for me!

The truth is that I struggle with life and I find myself like Job or recently like Jeremiah. I’m not who you think I am and even less who I have convinced myself to be.

I only know that God is… I take extreme comfort in the knowing.

The truth is there are times I want to lay down the armor, take off the shield and just rest. Sometimes the enemy has attempted to capture me and I’m weary. Sometimes I rue the day of my birth. Sometimes I find my greatest thought is just to sleep. Sometimes I just wish He would come already.

We all have these days if we are honest and I know that this will pass as well. I made a promise that if I blogged I would be real and that requires me to take off the mask, and so I have done~

The truth is we live our lives with misconceptions and false pretenses daily. We wear facades outwardly while we cry inwardly.

But The Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, … Jeremiah 20:12

Jeremiah was a man, yes, he was a prophet but he was also a man. At this particular point of his life he had been thrown in prison for speaking Gods word again. So really he had a legitimate complaint. You & I, not so much. The worst we suffer is someone disagreeing with our words and horror of horrors un-following us on whatever social medium we are on.

He went on in the chapter to lament the day of his birth much like Job did. He felt God had played some cosmic joke on he and his parents for letting him live at all.

We look at this and think “Oh poor Jeremiah” but if we are honest we would have to admit we have done this ourselves.

The difference is God didn’t write our story in a book for generations of people to read about.

What is your façade today?

 

What is your mask of choice?

 

In a world of plastic and cookie cutter stamped people, what makes you a Jeremiah? What makes you different from anyone else for that matter?

What sets you apart from all the rest?

God isn’t looking for perfect people or even people who never make mistakes. He’s looking at you where it counts, your heart.

He’s looking for honesty and like Jeremiah can say hey, this isn’t working out so well for me.

He’s looking for people who are real about who they are, where they are and what it took to get them where they are going.

Gods perfect plan was a garden of delight and life of fellowship but suck it up we messed it up, so get over it. Yea, I said “we” because you and I would have messed it up too. This is the part of taking off the mask.

He gave us His only Son to fix what we so perfectly destroyed so stop blaming God if your life isn’t perfect. What more can He do for you?

Stop trying to please Him by being a people pleaser and be obedient to Him by walking in truth, His Truth!

You will find just as Jeremiah found that while you have unpleasant things to go through along the way He is a very present help in everything.

In the end of it all when you stand before Him and the mask finally comes off the only one really surprised will be you~

Will the mask be worth it then?

I’m hid with Christ!
Shawn