Open and Honest

BE OPEN AND HONEST ABOUT OUR BROKENNESS, DEPENDENT ON GOD FOR CHANGE.

“‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” —2 Corinthians 12:9

The desire to “put your best foot forward” didn’t start with the widespread use of the internet, but it certainly didn’t help! The idea of “cultivated image” is so strong in our area. The front yard looks great, but there’s crying behind the neighbors door. The family smiles at church, but the smiles cover up some of the harsh words shared in the car ride over. “How are you?”...”I’m good” rarely actually means “I’m doing well.”

How might we affirm this?

There is a natural understanding that “things are not the way they should be.” People feel that tension and are trying to solve it. There is a desire to change, they know what's broken is wrong and desire healing.

How might we need to challenge that?

But the instinct to hide and cover the shame will never lead to change. Change happens when these struggles and problems are brought out into the open so we can begin to work on them together. 

Therefore, we need to believe the gospel is true. We are a mess, but we are fully loved by God. If that's true, we shouldn’t be afraid to say “yep, I really am broken and need a healer”. Only God can heal me, I can’t hide and hope I’ll fix it on my own, I’m dependent on him and his church.