Dirty Little Secrets

Let's talk today about secrets. Everybody has at least one. You know, that dirty little secret that you hope and pray no one ever finds out about. That part about you that you don't want anyone to know. Maybe its things from the past that you wouldn't dare tell people at church about for fear of judgment.

Transparency is not one of the greatest attributes of the world these days. For that matter, even the church has issues in this area. I think maybe, it’s even more difficult to be transparent in a church environment than anywhere else. We get up in the morning, put on our "got it together" mask and we are on our way to meet the world. We live our lives denying our feelings, telling ourselves "it’s not that bad" and stuffing it away inside. We think our incorrect thoughts or do our wrong deeds and file them away thinking, "glad no one knows that!” All the time living our life so scared that we won't be accepted, liked or loved if people knew the whole truth about us.

Is this you? Is this really how we are supposed to live? Is this the surrendered life?

Little by little as I have exposed my scary past to the light, God has swooped in each time to be my protector. He has stood guard of me as the openness of my truth is laid bare for the world to see. What I find each time He has me do this, is that He places care and protection around me and keeps the judgment at bay.

Transparency is like a window into the soul. You can see right through it. When you look inside, instead of seeing the darkness, you see the light of Christ inside. When you have past hurt, sin or shame clouding up the glass, how can people see the light of Christ through the window? It's like putting up a poster of Christ on the inside of the glass to block the window. People might see an artificial image of Christ, but it’s not the light that glows from within you.

Healing only comes in the light. We must bring all things into the light, out in the open so Christ can clean them up.

John 12:46 says - I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

Christ came so we could live in the light, not in regret or bound to the sin of our past. We must bring it into the light; detach the shame from it for we have been forgiven and live as a new creation.

In Ephesians 6: 13-15 Paul tells us to put on the armor of God to do battle and defeat the enemy. We are to gird our loins in the belt of truth. The belt of truth is being open and honest to God, ourselves and others. We are to live with no secrets hidden away, a transparent life so the devil has no foot hold in our lives. If we have no secrets hiding anywhere, what will Satan have to whisper in our ear? The answer is nothing! That my friend is part of girding your loins in the belt of truth. Giving Satan nothing that he can use to send thoughts of defeat.

Galatians 6:2 says - share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

As the body of Christ, we are to share one another's burdens. We are to hold each other up and encourage one another. Slowly, as I lay my burdens down and share them with you, you have been there to lift me up and encourage me. I just want to say thank you for being obedient and sharing mine. I will share in your also.