I lied. Again.
When my high school cheerleading coach noticed I'd lost a considerable amount of weight, I told her everything was fine. Even though it wasn't. My desire to fit in with the other girls on my team that were thin and in good shape overshadowed my physical, spiritual, and mental health needs. I lied about what I ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner to lose weight. I believed being thin would cause people to love and accept me in a way I desperately wanted, and I would feel less broken on the inside.
As I tried to acquire the approval I thought I needed, I fought a battle I no longer had the energy to fight. The more lies I told, the harder it became to keep track of them. Living in constant terror of slipping up wore me down. I finally reached a point where changing my dysfunctional cycle became necessary and uncovering the truth of who I was and why I did what I did was inescapable.
Falling into the trap of wanting to impress people on the outside—while we are utterly oblivious to the corrupt state of our hearts on the inside—can cause damage as it did for the religious leaders with whom Jesus interacted. When we are preoccupied with keeping our exterior beautiful while our rotting interior is left untreated, we can develop spiritual cancer that causes us to die inside.
Authenticity teaches us we don't have to present ourselves a certain way for others to love and accept us. Unraveling lies we believe about ourselves instead of hiding behind them is crucial. I pretended to be okay when I wasn't. Not only was that unhealthy, it was ungodly.
When you find areas in your life where the lies prevail, seek forgiveness. Then turn to the God who sees nothing but beauty in you.
What is one area where you can work on being more authentic? Choose to be transparent when the next opportunity arises.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Brandie is an award-winning author, speaker, and devotional writer. Her most notable work is a children’s book, Garden Tales: A Seed’s Story. She is a contributing devotional writer for Christian Devotions and VineWords: Devotions and More. Brandie is the founder of The Write Place and president of the Charlotte Word Weavers chapter. She is also a member of Hope* Writers and the Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators. She and her husband have been married for over fifteen years and live in North Carolina with their three young children, two of whom are Irish Twins. They spend a lot of time on baseball fields and at horse stables and enjoy playing games. They also enjoy family trips where they can bike ride on the beach or explore the mountains.