The race gives you the chance to confront yourself. It opens the door to the potential within you and it’s your choice to see what’s inside. But that doesn’t always happen. Some peer around the doorway and, terrified of what they see, slam shut the door that can bring them the freedom and intimacy they desire. So what happens? Deception through pretty blogs with a flattering tone are written talking about fluffy things, using words I’ve heard 500 times before. People love those. It makes us feel warm and fuzzy; it helps us justify our spiritual laziness by lathering on a thick coat of sugar all over our sweet tooth. Sadly, most of us eat it up without question and commend them for doing the Lord’s work. Now, it’s not so much a bad thing, but when we write blogs or tell stories like that, we withhold the complete truth that can satisfy like a juicy steak and instead serve up a silver platter of sweets that leaves the world feeling just as empty as it was before. This world has had its fill of junk food. If we are really disciples of Jesus, we will give them more.
I like to read things that make me uncomfortable, that talk about the actual mess of things. Ones that don’t use silly Christian words to sugarcoat life, ones that stir up spiritual activity in me. They are also the ones you normally don’t see featured or reposted on Facebook because who wants to feel uncomfortable? Who wants to be told what they believe or how they’re living is wrong, that they have it backwards? It’s why so many people miss it, even amongst “radical” Christians. The ones who have gotten out of the house and into the world, have missed it. They’ve seemingly run into “the Lord’s will” but they’ve run away from themselves. They are on the right track, but they have caught the wrong train.
If we don’t go down inside to the end of ourselves, we will miss the freedom. It’s here for the ones that will stop running from themselves. We won’t be able to truly feel until we’ve felt the redemption from the false state we have always lived in, until we open the door, step inside, and confront our real selves. What you will find there is a person building a wall, yet they sing a song of the day when they will finally be known. They must be stopped before the bricks enclose them. Confined, their air will run out and they won’t be able to breathe. A suffocated self leaves you with a corpse. A walking, dead corpse of a person.
What we all want is real intimacy. The only way we get it, is by being known- every part of filth exposed. A basement isn’t scary anymore when you turn the lights on. Flicking the switch, reveals we never had any reason to be afraid. The monster we thought was lurking in the shadows was a lie we told ourselves so we didn’t have to descend the stairs. Now that we know what’s down there, our fear is made invalid. Knowing this simplifies things. All it takes is some effort on our part. But fret not. In our weakness, Jesus stands by our side to make us strong. Draw from His power and join the spiritual jailbreak, granting you a new mindset. Taste the only satisfying sweetness of living as you were made to live- you are free to be you.
