Recently a friend of mine eloquently pointed out in a blog post of her own that I am a stuffer...I stuff things, I keep it all bottled up because admitting I need help or am struggling is very difficult for me. So she has to pull things out of me, my fears, my doubts, my "issues" and I need this from her and love that she does it...it is so freeing. I always say I am not good with relationships...probably because I'm not. My husband is so good at connecting with people and staying connected with them (students from our Youth Group leading days, that are now grown, still communicate with him, ask his advice, check in, etc...from 7 years ago!) Really, I'm trying, I reached out to casual friend to interview for a class a couple months ago, there were tears shed and hearts shared, we were vulnerable and I see Jesus connecting us in deeper and more personal ways and I am excited about it. It is hard to admit our sin, it is difficult to admit it to ourselves let alone someone else but it is necessary to risk and lay down our pride to truly be free.
Let me be the first to admit that I am a loner, I don't even need to hear the sound of my own voice and often can go an entire day all alone without saying a word...if I have occasion to have an entire day alone. But I do get lonely, I long for people, good company and good conversation. I find this most in my cousin and her husband, when we are able to get together we really enjoy each other, all four of us. My BFF and her hubby are becoming these "good company" people too only we haven't given enough effort on making time to be together...it might be the fact that they have 5 kids, ha! It is important for us to be connected with each other, with those who will point us to Jesus. Friends that we can be honest with, some vulnerable and a few that we can be transparent with.
Transparency is necessary with our closet people and especially with God. It's the only way we can truly be known. But it's a scary thought that sends us into hiding.
We are thirsty! Thirsty for more of Jesus even if we don't realize that's what we are thirsty for! Thirsty for freedom from loneliness, from striving, from trying to be enough.
Jesus says, Let Me be your enough. You will be filled and you will be known and you will be free.
Like the woman at the well, we need to risk being exposed.
When we hide, we diminish ourselves, we diminish our worth, we diminish our belief in God. The reason we hide is because we don't know what it feels like to live wholly forgiven. We've never known what it means to truly enjoy our lives, to run into a crowd with no shame, no fear, no guilt, no proving ourselves, no performance. Just us. With the amazing news of a Savior who happens to change lives.
Jennie's words here remind me of my friend, Johnny. He lives free. He runs into crowds proclaiming Jesus' life changing Gospel. He turns a coffee stop at Casey's into a 20 minute prayer time with a customer or the cashier. He turns a short stay at McDonald's into a weekly ministry of community with a group that is no longer strangers to us. He lives wholly forgiven.
Living like this begins with us laying down our pride and risking exposure...it's time to get caught and connect with God and with each other.
Connect
...with God (Read Hebrews 13:5; Romans 12:2)
What distracts me from my time with God?
How can I practically remove these distractions based on the Scriptures?
...with People (Read Ecclesiastes 5:18-20; Ephesians 5:15-16; Colossians 4:3-6)
What keeps me from being present in my relationships?
How can I be more present in my relationships based on the Scriptures?
Gather
Get together with friends and ask these questions:
What are you struggling with right now? How can we help?
What do we need to know about you to really know you?
What things are you tempted to hold back from the people closest to you?
Why do you hold back?
Along with or instead of...confess what you're hiding with someone else, someone gracious, trustworthy, and safe.
Be
Spend time with Jesus regularly if you are not doing so already.
- Identify a place in your home to be your quiet place
- Put a basket in your quiet place that contains your Bible, a few books, a candle, journal, and pen
This week, set your alarm 30 minutes earlier than normal. And at least five times this week, spend your extra 30 minutes praying, journaling, and reading your Bible. Meet with Jesus. As you get to the end of the five days, write about the experience.
What did this time mean to you?
How did this time affect your day?
What barriers are keeping you from making this part of your routine every week?
Meditate
Psalm 84 (underline the words Psalm 84 uses to describe the person who is in the presence of God).
*from Nothing to Prove
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