Better Together: Seeking God With OthersНамуна

Share honestly.

People are messed up. I’m messed up, you’re messed up, and we all have problems. If you don’t think you have a problem…that’s your problem. — Stephen Blandino

Many of us probably have friends on some level. Whether it’s a rich, profound community as we mentioned in day three or friends we enjoy a movie or sporting event with—most of us have someone. But, we often don’t get very real in those friendships. We keep people at an arm’s length distance because we don’t want them to see the real us; the parts of us that are still ugly and need a lot of work. Because if they saw who we really are, they might disappear from our lives and remove us from their lives.

Here’s some truth for us: we all have issues. If we think we are free from problems or issues, that is our problem or issue. So it is imperative that we find that someone or group of someones with whom we can be honest. That is the essence of community.

When we finally get to the place of sharing a struggle with a friend, often we are met with a compassionate, understanding response. It’s amazing how vulnerability breeds more vulnerability. We might anticipate that their reaction will be judgmental. We have got to let that go. We all have something we need to share and “get off our chests.”

So, who do we open our lives up to? 

People who have proven to be trustworthy, who are grounded in the Word of God, and who will keep our confidence. It has been said that we should be our authentic selves with everyone we meet. We shouldn’t put on a happy face and act like everything is OK in our lives. We can say we’ve had a tough day and simply move on without further detail. Transparency is a different thing entirely, and it is reserved for a select few. When we are struggling, we may choose to go into greater detail with those who have earned the privilege of bearing our burdens. 

God offers forgiveness to us freely. We need simply to confess our sins to Him. However, James 5:16 says that if we want healing and freedom from those sins that trip us up, we must share with each other. Opening up our hearts to a trusted confidant brings not only a sense of relief and freedom but also an opportunity to receive compassion and wisdom.

Reflect

• Do you have people in your life with whom you can be completely transparent? 
• When someone confides in you, what type of response do you typically give? Is it full of grace or full of judgment?
• Write down any revelation that God speaks to you through today’s Bible reading or devotional.