Be an Open Book
In Mark 9, a man had a son who was sick with something like epilepsy. He brought him to Jesus and said, “My son has these terrible seizures. If You can do anything, please have compassion on us.” Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” The man said, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.” He was honest; he was vulnerable. Jesus could have said, “What do you mean you have doubts? I’m going to find somebody who believes.” But when you’re honest with God and take off the mask and get down to the real you—the scared you, the lonely you, the insecure you—God will begin to change things.
God doesn’t fault you for being honest. We think we have to be strong for God, strong in faith, strong in courage. We’re afraid to admit we have doubts and feel weak. The Scripture says, “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong’” (Joel 3:10). It doesn’t say, “You should never feel weak, never have doubts, and never feel discouraged.” It’s okay to say, “God, I feel weak today, but I believe I am strong in You. Lord, these doubts are coming against my mind, but I’m switching over into faith. God, I don’t see how my finances can work out, but help me believe.” That’s being real before God. That’s being vulnerable.
Are you wearing a mask, pretending in front of people and in front of God? I’m asking you to take off the mask and get real. We think that when we have it all together, then we can be honest. We think that when we overcome the temptation, when we beat the addiction, when we conquer the fears, then God will accept us, then He’ll be pleased with us. God is not waiting for the ideal you, for the future you, for the no-doubts you, for the cleaned-up you. God is waiting for the real you, the vulnerable you, the honest you. He already knows who you are. He knows what you’re struggling with. There’s a freedom when you can come to God honestly and openly, knowing that He doesn’t judge you, He doesn’t condemn you, He’s not finding fault. He has mercy for every mistake, grace for every weakness, faith for every fear. Our attitude should be, “My life is an open book. I have nothing to hide. God, You know everything I am and everything I’m not. Make me, mold me, and change me where I need to be changed. Help me to become who You created me to be.”
God doesn’t fault you for being honest. We think we have to be strong for God, strong in faith, strong in courage. We’re afraid to admit we have doubts and feel weak. The Scripture says, “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong’” (Joel 3:10). It doesn’t say, “You should never feel weak, never have doubts, and never feel discouraged.” It’s okay to say, “God, I feel weak today, but I believe I am strong in You. Lord, these doubts are coming against my mind, but I’m switching over into faith. God, I don’t see how my finances can work out, but help me believe.” That’s being real before God. That’s being vulnerable.
Are you wearing a mask, pretending in front of people and in front of God? I’m asking you to take off the mask and get real. We think that when we have it all together, then we can be honest. We think that when we overcome the temptation, when we beat the addiction, when we conquer the fears, then God will accept us, then He’ll be pleased with us. God is not waiting for the ideal you, for the future you, for the no-doubts you, for the cleaned-up you. God is waiting for the real you, the vulnerable you, the honest you. He already knows who you are. He knows what you’re struggling with. There’s a freedom when you can come to God honestly and openly, knowing that He doesn’t judge you, He doesn’t condemn you, He’s not finding fault. He has mercy for every mistake, grace for every weakness, faith for every fear. Our attitude should be, “My life is an open book. I have nothing to hide. God, You know everything I am and everything I’m not. Make me, mold me, and change me where I need to be changed. Help me to become who You created me to be.”