Exposed

Remember when you were a child and you did something that your parents told you not to do.  Remember dreading that moment when they would find out. Or perhaps it was time for report cards to come home and your grades were not the best. Did you drop your report card in the trash down the street like my oldest sister did?  I never quite figured out why she did that because my mom and dad found out every time, especially since I was running home to show my report card. None of us could hide anything from them. As I drove home today and thought about this, one central theme kept ringing in my ear. That central theme was - "Exposure".  For some reason everything I have read the past few days has been about 'change'.  Why am I so afraid of it?  At my age I am just so comfortable in who I am.  I am set in my ways and for the most part I like who I am.  But then I start to talk to God and as I listen to Him speak to me I realize that everything is not as fine and dandy as I think it is. 

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12

The more I become a steward of the Word of God the more it works to expose some things in me that just aren't right.  Things in my heart that causes the ugly to come out at times.  Things that cause me not to see myself the way God sees me.  The truth of the matter is no matter what front I may put up, when in the eyes of others, at the end of the day when it's just me and God, He sees the truth.  He has those moments when He is proud of me and then those moments when He is disappointed in me, but through it all He loves me just the same.  And that is why I decided to go all in and ask God to expose those things in me that are not like Him.  If there is anything in my heart, soul, or spirit, I just don't want it there anymore.  I want to live my life being all that I can with the help of the Lord.  This is a scary thought.  There are just some things that I don't want anyone to know.  And even though God already knows everything about me, it's still scary admitting that those things are inside of me.  The scariest things are my thoughts. I have always been a person to hold things inside thinking that I'm somewhat better than those people who just fly off the handle, saying everything they think.  But what would happen if for one day those same people had an opportunity to read the thoughts in my head.  Have you heard the saying, "If looks could kill..."  Well I know that my thoughts could.   And then there is that negative, complaining spirit. My lack of tolerance for people who continue to do the same thing over and over again. That desire to be in control all the time and control the lives of others.  This is just the start of my list of things I try so hard to hide from others.

But at the end of the day, as much as I love my family and friends, making this change is not about any of them. It really doesn't matter to me what any of them think.  I am not living my life to please them. As my Pastor used to say, "None of them have a heaven or hell to put you in."   I must live my life to please God.  And that is why I must allow Him to come in and cut out those things that are not like Him.  Accepting the pain, realizing the results.  What about you? What are those things that you are trying so hard to hide?  I don't need to know what they are but I challenge you to pull down the shade.  Be proactive.  Ask God to expose those things in you that are not like Him..  Allow Him to come in and help you.  When you give Him total control to make those changes, they turn out to be lasting changes instead of band-aid fixes.  He takes it to the core and replaces them with a loving heart, a forgiving spirit, the mind of Christ.  This is not something you can do on your own but with the help of the Holy Spirit, it is possible.  'Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all you could ever ask or think..'  That one thing that you have been trying so hard to change, God is able.  Just give it to Him.  Others may have given up on you saying that you are always going to be that way.  From experience, don't try to tell me what God can't do.  He has a proven tract record of turning things around, changing the seemingly unchangeable. 


(I borrowed this prayer from my devotional and thought I would share.),

Lord show me what is in my heart, soul, mind, spirit, and life that shouldn’t be there.  Teach me what I am not understanding.  Convict me where I am missing the mark.  Tear down my arrogance, pride, fear, and insecurities, and help me to see the truth about myself, my life, and my circumstances.  Expose me to myself, Lord.  I can take it.  Enable me to correct the error of my ways.  Help me to replace lies with truth and make changes that last. In Jesus' Precious Name Amen.