[Discoveries] 09-09-08 Big Idea #9 -- Hebrews 4:13

[Inspiration in Your Inbox]

/*Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. -- Hebrews 4:13*/

Big Idea #9. Be honest ... with yourself ... with God ... with your 
neighbor.

I don't know if everybody needs to learn this the hard way, but I sure 
did. I wanted so badly to please God, just as a child I had wanted so 
badly to please my parents. But I believed, deep down, that God would 
only be pleased with me if I did everything right. Of course, I didn't 
know how to do everything right. I couldn't do everything right.

Logically, there is a simple conclusion here: I must do everything right 
to please God. I can't do everything right. Therefore, I cannot please God.

But emotionally and spiritually, it isn't that simple. To come to the 
conclusion that God would never be happy with me was too much to bear. 
So I needed to pretend. I needed to pretend to myself, to my world and 
to my God. I needed to put on a show. I needed to act spiritual even 
when I didn't feel spiritual inside.

Of course, this is schizophrenic. It is widespread. It is commonly 
practiced among Christians. And it is schizophrenic. On one hand we have 
the illusion -- the saint who acts religious. On the other hand, we have 
the reality -- the sinner that we try to hide from others, from God and 
from ourselves.

I don't remember what all brought me to the point of honesty. But I 
think part of it was learning that I couldn't hide even if I tried. If I 
was angry at God, He already knew. If I was thinking lustful thoughts, 
He already knew. If I didn't feel like witnessing or going to church or 
whatever, He already knew.

So I decided to take the Big Risk. I decided to start telling God and 
myself the truth. I didn't know what would happen, but I thought I would 
risk it and find out.

As you can see, I didn't get struck with lightning. I didn't get paddled 
for telling the truth. Instead, I ran into something I never expected.

Unconditional love.

Be encouraged!
Dwight

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