“Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 10:39
I wore a mask to cover up the hurt for much of my life. I lived a secret life of loneliness, guilt, and unworthiness. I believed that since I did terrible things, God was after me.
I put on a happy face and said the right words, and acted like I was so excited about life.
I was so glad people couldn’t see through the mask. The real me was hiding, and an impostor was speaking. I was covering up the hurts of rejection and low self-esteem from childhood. Some of the most destiny-killing words I heard growing up were, “You are never going to amount to anything!” Those words cut like a knife and caused me to leave home at 16 and never return.
I had the ambition to succeed by my internal motto, “I’ll show them!” That drive gave me much success, but it never filled the empty hole in my heart. Finally, one day the hole was so BIG I cried out to an invisible God for help, not expecting a response. He had more important things to do, like feeding starving children, stopping religious wars, and healing the sick. Imagine my surprise when he connected with me. How can I describe an invisible God holding me and comforting me? There are no words, but I knew it was God.
That day I exchanged my tired, dreary, unhappy life for the life he blew into me. It was as if I could see for the first time. I didn’t see a poor tired, weary life but one of purpose. The only requirement was I remove the mask and just be me and trust God. The more I trusted God, the more he poured his love, peace, and kindness.
What about you? Are you trying to please people to fill that void in your life? Do you wish the real you could emerge but don’t dare remove the mask and trust God fully?
It is never too late to exchange your tired life for the life that God created you to live. You have a purpose and destiny; if you are not honest with yourself, the world will miss out on your awesomeness, and the hole in your life will only get bigger.
Maybe God isn’t your thing. You can’t trust an invisible God. I can understand that; after all, I was there. But God has got a bad rap from the media and much of religion. It is only because of the new life he gave me that I stepped forward with unshakable confidence in Jesus. I want to spend the rest of my life promoting him. But, unfortunately, we are heading on a trajectory that will make 911 and Hurricane Katrina look like child’s play. The very survival of our emotional well-being will be at stake.
Jesus was never sent to earth and isn’t here to give you a new house, car, or other superficial, materialistic toys. Treating Jesus as Santa is about as stupid as thinking I can fly. Jesus gave his life. He is here to rescue you when your world collapses.
Suggested Prayer:
Dear Jesus, I am so tired of masks. Breathe in me the courage to trust you as I remove these stupid masks! I desire to be me and no one else but me. The me that you love unconditionally. I surrender to you TODAY. Breathe my destiny into my soul, and I will live for you, AMEN!
