Exposed
February 24, 2021
February 24, 2021
Hebrews 4:12-13 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. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.
I rarely start my articles with a verse, however I needed to this week. I have read these verses so many times, but somehow I got so wrapped up in the separation of soul and spirit, I missed something essential. God's word (The Bible) exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. This really hit me, as it goes on to say nothing is hidden from God, everything is naked and exposed.
I hate feeling exposed! I hate feeling like the whole world can see every inch of the inner me. Since I was a child growing up in church I have been taught that we need to dress up for church, that God wants to see us at our best. In reality we do this for people, not God. God sees EVERYTHING, NOTHING is HIDDEN from him. Yet when we go to church we ensure the mask is in place and everything looks perfect on the outside. This is a paradox.
God's word exposes us because God wants us to deal with all of the ugly things we try to hide. He exposes who we are at our heart to show us how deeply He loves us. He knows every thought, every action, every betrayal, every lie, every slander, every accusation, absolutely EVERYTHING. HE LOVES YOU! He wants you to know that there is nothing that can make him love you less. He sees you, the good, the bad, and the ugly. God's words exposes these things so we can deal with them and be set free.
Things we try to hide end up being things that keep us anchored in place. When we are anchored, we are not free, we are stuck. I hate feeling imprisoned even more that I hate feeling exposed. I long to be free. When the ugly things I try to hide start being dealt with there is so much freedom.
Those of you who read my blog may already know this, but I did a health challenge in January. At the beginning of the challenge we were asked to come up with our WHY. Why were we trying to become healthy. I wanted to be free from the prison my body had become for me. I have been overweight from the time I was a baby. Whenever anyone referred to me as a baby, I was chubby. As I grew up, all my peers and even authorities viewed me as fat or overweight. This became my identity. I was not Connie, I was overweight. All through my life I was also taught that I needed to love myself, and in doing so began to subconsciously love the weight. This made it extremely difficult for me to keep the weight off.
Halfway through this health challenge, I was reading the daily post and it said that I did not have to love the weight, I had to accept it and move forward. Every chain to that anchor snapped in that moment. I was set free of the belief that I am my weight. I can look in the mirror and see me. I am no longer feeling imprisoned in my body. I still have a long way to go in my health journey, but I can accept it and move forward.
God's word can do the same thing for us, exposing what is there lurking within us and helping us deal with it so we can be free. There was a time when I was really struggling with not feeling like I was good enough. I felt like I was failing at everything in my life and I wanted to give up. I read Psalm 139, and even though I had read it several times it was almost like it became alive to me for the first time. God knew me, God planned my life before I was conceived, God had a plan and purpose for me and my life. The creator of the universe knew I was good enough. That chain snapped and I was set free.
I want to mention something else, once you have been set free, whatever you have been freed from will come back and try to sneak its way in again. This is why I speak the truth when that happens. The truth that I am good enough! The truth that I am not my weight, my weight is an issue I am dealing with and I can move forward! Truth is what can carry you through. God's word is filled with truth!
One last thing before I wrap up. Even though God's word exposes us it is done in love, not to leave us hurting and alone. Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! God loves you so completely, He is always thinking of you and He is always with you. You do not need to fear being exposed before him, because he already knows and it does not change the depth of his love for you.
Personal Note: If you are fearful of being exposed, I want you to know that it is normal to feel that way. It is human nature to hide, however, I want you to think about this: God loves you and wants nothing more than to see you free. God is the safest person to be exposed before. His love for you will never change. Read Psalm 139 and allow the truth of his love to wash over your heart, it will calm your anxiety and fear. If you are still having a tough time trusting God, feel free to contact me or someone you trust to help you through it. My hope for each one of you is that you will have a renewed passion for reading God's words to us and that fear will not hold you back!
I rarely start my articles with a verse, however I needed to this week. I have read these verses so many times, but somehow I got so wrapped up in the separation of soul and spirit, I missed something essential. God's word (The Bible) exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. This really hit me, as it goes on to say nothing is hidden from God, everything is naked and exposed.
I hate feeling exposed! I hate feeling like the whole world can see every inch of the inner me. Since I was a child growing up in church I have been taught that we need to dress up for church, that God wants to see us at our best. In reality we do this for people, not God. God sees EVERYTHING, NOTHING is HIDDEN from him. Yet when we go to church we ensure the mask is in place and everything looks perfect on the outside. This is a paradox.
God's word exposes us because God wants us to deal with all of the ugly things we try to hide. He exposes who we are at our heart to show us how deeply He loves us. He knows every thought, every action, every betrayal, every lie, every slander, every accusation, absolutely EVERYTHING. HE LOVES YOU! He wants you to know that there is nothing that can make him love you less. He sees you, the good, the bad, and the ugly. God's words exposes these things so we can deal with them and be set free.
Things we try to hide end up being things that keep us anchored in place. When we are anchored, we are not free, we are stuck. I hate feeling imprisoned even more that I hate feeling exposed. I long to be free. When the ugly things I try to hide start being dealt with there is so much freedom.
Those of you who read my blog may already know this, but I did a health challenge in January. At the beginning of the challenge we were asked to come up with our WHY. Why were we trying to become healthy. I wanted to be free from the prison my body had become for me. I have been overweight from the time I was a baby. Whenever anyone referred to me as a baby, I was chubby. As I grew up, all my peers and even authorities viewed me as fat or overweight. This became my identity. I was not Connie, I was overweight. All through my life I was also taught that I needed to love myself, and in doing so began to subconsciously love the weight. This made it extremely difficult for me to keep the weight off.
Halfway through this health challenge, I was reading the daily post and it said that I did not have to love the weight, I had to accept it and move forward. Every chain to that anchor snapped in that moment. I was set free of the belief that I am my weight. I can look in the mirror and see me. I am no longer feeling imprisoned in my body. I still have a long way to go in my health journey, but I can accept it and move forward.
God's word can do the same thing for us, exposing what is there lurking within us and helping us deal with it so we can be free. There was a time when I was really struggling with not feeling like I was good enough. I felt like I was failing at everything in my life and I wanted to give up. I read Psalm 139, and even though I had read it several times it was almost like it became alive to me for the first time. God knew me, God planned my life before I was conceived, God had a plan and purpose for me and my life. The creator of the universe knew I was good enough. That chain snapped and I was set free.
I want to mention something else, once you have been set free, whatever you have been freed from will come back and try to sneak its way in again. This is why I speak the truth when that happens. The truth that I am good enough! The truth that I am not my weight, my weight is an issue I am dealing with and I can move forward! Truth is what can carry you through. God's word is filled with truth!
One last thing before I wrap up. Even though God's word exposes us it is done in love, not to leave us hurting and alone. Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me! God loves you so completely, He is always thinking of you and He is always with you. You do not need to fear being exposed before him, because he already knows and it does not change the depth of his love for you.
Personal Note: If you are fearful of being exposed, I want you to know that it is normal to feel that way. It is human nature to hide, however, I want you to think about this: God loves you and wants nothing more than to see you free. God is the safest person to be exposed before. His love for you will never change. Read Psalm 139 and allow the truth of his love to wash over your heart, it will calm your anxiety and fear. If you are still having a tough time trusting God, feel free to contact me or someone you trust to help you through it. My hope for each one of you is that you will have a renewed passion for reading God's words to us and that fear will not hold you back!
