Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. — Hebrews 4:13
Big Idea #9. Be honest … with yourself … with God … with your neighbor.
I don’t know if everybody needs to learn this the hard way, but I sure did. I wanted so badly to please God, just as a child I had wanted so badly to please my parents. But I believed, deep down, that God would only be pleased with me if I did everything right. Of course, I didn’t know how to do everything right. I couldn’t do everything right.
Logically, there is a simple conclusion here: I must do everything right to please God. I can’t do everything right. Therefore, I cannot please God.
But emotionally and spiritually, it isn’t that simple. To come to the conclusion that God would never be happy with me was too much to bear. So I needed to pretend. I needed to pretend to myself, to my world and to my God. I needed to put on a show. I needed to act spiritual even when I didn’t feel spiritual inside.
Of course, this is schizophrenic. It is widespread. It is commonly practiced among Christians. And it is schizophrenic. On one hand we have the illusion — the saint who acts religious. On the other hand, we have the reality — the sinner that we try to hide from others, from God and from ourselves.
I don’t remember what all brought me to the point of honesty. But I think part of it was learning that I couldn’t hide even if I tried. If I was angry at God, He already knew. If I was thinking lustful thoughts, He already knew. If I didn’t feel like witnessing or going to church or whatever, He already knew.
So I decided to take the Big Risk. I decided to start telling God and myself the truth. I didn’t know what would happen, but I thought I would risk it and find out.
As you can see, I didn’t get struck with lightning. I didn’t get paddled for telling the truth. Instead, I ran into something I never expected.
Unconditional love.
Be encouraged!
Dwight
Dwight Clough is the author of four Christian books and is an active member of Lake City Church in Madison. This devotional is also available via email and you may review the archives back to 2002. To contact Dwight or Kim, use their contact form. You may also support their ministry.