For as close as we have been, we were never close enough. We held back pieces of ourselves from each other, not because God likely wanted us to, but more than likely because we were afraid – and prideful. As down to earth and simple as we both are in so many ways, right down to the way we dress and speak and act, we kept ourselves pretty carefully made up with each other.
We stayed on the surface, interspersed with quick, quiet, not-too-splashy semi-dives down into deeper places. But we came up quickly, for really we weren’t so very real with each other. A little bit haughty, a little bit prideful, probably a lot afraid more than anything, we talked tons about the Lord, prayed together to Him, did nice things for one another and other times hurt each other, never intentionally. But always, our friendship came back to the truth of the matter.
We were never willing to dive, and to stay, down under – down into the deep places that can be found, and reached, only when hearts are humbled before the Lord and we, as children of God, yield ourselves to becoming real. Sometimes, when we parted ways, I felt we would never come back. She would never return for whatever reason, I surmised, or I would never come back because I was too prideful to see where I had failed my friend in loving her with the love of God.
No matter our reasons, I wondered, no, I assumed, a number of times, we would not return to that place where friends meet in the land of the light of the Lord. But then, today, not too long after coming back into each other’s lives, as my friend shared a deep place of hurt with me, and as I did the same, I saw how truly we are becoming real. Not just with each other, but with God. For though He knows us inside out anyway, it is not always that we humans realize we are only fooling ourselves when we try to hide under the covers, to hide behind our makeup, to hide in darkness, to hide whenever, however, wherever, at all, as though we can ever hide from God.
Now, I understand why God told me several times in months past to share with my friend the hardest thing in my heart to share with any human in the world. I agreed to share it, but the opportunity just would not come. Or so I thought. Then, finally it was so obvious that the opportunity lay before me. And I took a great step forward in becoming real. Real with my friend – as I learn day by day to become more real with God. Never in a million years did I think that my one big step forward with my friend would help her to know she could do the same with me.
And then, suddenly, I see it is not merely that we are becoming real with one another. It’s that we both are learning to become real with Him. Open. Transparent. Candid. Confessing. The good stuff. Hard stuff. All stuff. He wants it all. He wants us all. He knows it anyway. But He wants us to love, and trust, and honor, and respect, and feel safe enough with Him that we will be wholly ourselves with Him. Real. Some of us are there already. Some of us are not. Some, like my friend and I, we are becoming real. Real with others. Real, most importantly, with the One who made us. Him. Real with Him.
And so it is that as my friend and I are becoming real with one another, we are learning that God not only wants us to be totally real with Him. He wants us to yield ourselves to Him so that He can heal us in our wounded places, even out our rough edges, take hardness off our hearts, strengthen us where we are weak, grow us where we need it, transform us where we need change, forgive us where we have fallen. And love us all along the way. And so it is that we are becoming real, my friend and I. Real with each other. And real with Him. Our greatest Friend of all.
“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:5-7 NASB
29 Comments
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article.
I’ll be sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks
for the post. I’ll definitely return.
Heya i am for the primary time here. I found this board and I to find It really useful & it
helped me out a lot. I hope to offer something again and help others such as you aided me.
Hey There. I found your weblog the use of msn. That is an extremely well written article.
I’ll make sure to bookmark it and return to read extra
of your helpful information. Thank you for the post.
I will certainly comeback.
Yes! Finally someone writes about cheap flights.
Hello, after reading this remarkable piece of writing i am as
well happy to share my know-how here with friends.
Hi there, I enjoy reading all of your article.
I like to write a little comment to support you.
Very nice write-up. I certainly appreciate this website.
Thanks!
Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of this site.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times it’s very difficult to get that “perfect balance” between superb usability and visual appearance.
I must say that you’ve done a fantastic job with this. Additionally,
the blog loads very quick for me on Firefox. Excellent Blog!
If some one wants to be updated with latest technologies
after that he must be visit this web site and be up
to date everyday.
Your method of telling everything in this post is in fact nice,
all be capable of simply know it, Thanks a lot.
Hello There. I discovered your weblog using msn. This is
a really smartly written article. I will make sure to
bookmark it and come back to read extra of your useful
info. Thanks for the post. I’ll definitely return.
This is the perfect webpage for everyone who really
wants to understand this topic. You understand a whole lot
its almost hard to argue with you (not that I actually would want to…HaHa).
You certainly put a brand new spin on a topic that’s been discussed for ages.
Excellent stuff, just excellent!
I am truly delighted to glance at this webpage posts which carries lots of valuable facts, thanks for providing these statistics.
I have read so many articles about the blogger lovers however this article is actually a fastidious article, keep it up.
You could definitely see your expertise within the work
you write. The world hopes for even more passionate
writers like you who aren’t afraid to mention how
they believe. Always follow your heart.
I have been surfing online more than three hours today,
yet I never found any interesting article like yours.
It’s pretty worth enough for me. Personally, if all website owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the web will be a lot more useful
than ever before.
Hmm is anyone else encountering problems with the images on this blog loading?
I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers?
I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked
hard on. Any suggestions?
No matter if some one searches for his necessary thing,
so he/she needs to be available that in detail, thus that thing
is maintained over here.
Magnificent beat ! I wish to apprentice while you amend your website,
how could i subscribe for a blog site? The account aided me a
acceptable deal. I had been a little bit acquainted of this your broadcast provided bright clear idea
After looking over a few of the blog articles on your web page, I really appreciate your
way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website list and will
be checking back soon. Please check out my website
as well and let me know what you think.
I believe everything typed was actually very logical. However, consider this, suppose you were to create a killer post title?
I am not suggesting your content isn’t good., however suppose you added a title that grabbed a person’s attention? I mean Becoming Real |
Lara Love's Good News Daily Devotional is kinda vanilla.
You should peek at Yahoo’s front page and watch how they create
news headlines to grab viewers to open the links. You might add a related video or a picture or two to get readers excited about what you’ve got to say.
Just my opinion, it could bring your website a little bit more
interesting.
Greetings! Very useful advice in this particular post!
It is the little changes which will make the most important changes.
Thanks a lot for sharing!
Heya i am for the primary time here. I found this board and I to
find It really useful & it helped me out a lot.
I am hoping to offer one thing back and aid others
such as you helped me.
Hi, i believe that i noticed you visited my weblog so i got here to return the want?.I am trying to to find issues to improve
my website!I guess its ok to use a few of your ideas!!
Here is my homepage; special
Link exchange is nothing else except it is just placing the other person’s
web site link on your page at appropriate place and other person will also do same in support of you.
Currently it seems like Expression Engine is the best blogging platform available right now.
(from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
I am sure this piece of writing has touched all the internet users,
its really really pleasant piece of writing on building up
new weblog.
My web blog: tracfone 2022
Leading cryptocurrency exchange with over 1400+ cryptocurrencies & stablecoins such as Bitcoin ✓ Ethereum ✓ Dogecoin ✓ Start trading crypto with Gate.io now! gate io