My Mask

I am a firm believer that everyone does not have to know everything about me or anyone else for that matter. I’m extremely private and I value my alone time, maybe a little too much. Writing has always been an outlet for me.

But I don’t want to write about the topic I have in mind…

Mainly because I don’t want to be sick any more. Saying that I’m okay and that I’m fine just didn’t work this week. In order to reviece healing from God it takes work. Deep work that can transform my soul.

But first it requires me to be honest.

On Friday of this week my pain level spiked at work. I ended up crying in front of my co-workers. I should have just gone home. I should have had a shot for the pain. I was stubborn and I had plans for that night. I finished my shift and I went out bound and determined to have a good time.

I slept Saturday away and felt better Sunday.

But it stuck me how often I put on a front around people.

Yes, I can smile. I can be thankful and I am able to focus on God and let things go for a while. The pain just keeps coming back. The problems of my life just keep coming back. I want to be grateful. I know how much being grateful can change the way we view life. I want to view life the way God sees life.

Lying to myself about how I personally feel about my health doesn’t help me deal with it. All it does is put a band-aid on it for a while. Yeah, there are days when I would like to feel normal or at least closer to it. Acknowledging that doesn’t make me a bad Christian, it just means that I’m still human.

Putting my mask on, my wall up, and refusing to let people see the vulnerable side of me doesn’t draw them to Christ. Showing them the lows, reveals how much I rely on God. Showing them the darker moments will hopefully help them to celebrate the highs with me. I’m not a teacher or a preacher, nor am I a gifted evangelist. My biggest prayer is that people can see God’s love through my actions. Words in real life often fail me. 

Showing that life is hard does not undermine God’s greatness. It highlights His love, His grace, and His peace.

That leaves me with the problem of dismantling my mask. My lifetime of walls and defenses. To be honest I have no idea where to start. I know that God will be with me every step of the way if I allow Him to be.