Mar 25

Written by: tim
3/25/2010 9:37 AM 

Day by day, week after week we see each other.  Church, small groups, baseball games, school events, bus stops or just out and about.  Mostly we're smiling and making small talk, sometimes we let down our guard but we've all learned how painful that can be and experience tells us that only a select few get to see the real us.

The problem is that we have become all too good at presenting what is acceptable.  A few entries previous to this one I referred to it as "posing" and yet I believe that we must keep the issue before us and not dismiss it.  The thought occurred to me that this isn't just about deception or manipulation, it is also about feeling trapped, desperate or stifled.

When we walk around with inner turmoil that we refuse to deal with we deprive ourselves of the help and friendship we need.  Those feelings and situations can dominate our thoughts, consuming us to the point that we feel we must do something drastic and potentially harmful to ourselves or those around us. 

I'm no brilliant psychologist or even a bad one but I know that there are things we can do!

Before stressing out we can pray  (Philippians 4:6, 7)

Before yelling at our spouse or kids or loading up our next response while someone is talking, we can listen  (James 1:19)

Before burrying ourselves under a mountain of lies we can confess the truth and be free (1John 1:8, 9)

Before we turn to drugs, sex, work, or other addictions we can choose the challenging but rewarding road to deal with whatever baggage we've got.

Before finding someone to tickle our ears with what we want to hear we can seek truth.  (2Timothy 3:16; Joshua 1:8)

Before giving up on life we can talk with the author of life (John 10:10)

Let us be free and let us live in the light!