Uncovering your truth

I have made some pretty poor decisions in my life. Things I pushed away into a small compartment in my brain, never to be thought of again. But Jesus has a way of bringing these truths out into the open. Admitting to yourself that you did those things is hard enough. But what about admitting it to others? No way, right? Too much pain and suffering for me to deal with on top of all I struggle with now. Does that sound familiar? We convince ourselves the past is the past. But some hint of pain lingers in the back of our minds, nagging at us to admit our truths.

This morning I was reading from Anne a lay apostle's new book, Whispers from the Cross. I came upon the chapter called The Stripping. As Christians, we need to be ready to face our truths:

"Into the life of every follower of Christ will come an experience of stripping, when, through betrayal, humiliation, sorrow, suffering, loss, illness, or failure with consequences, we are forced to confront our selves.

. . . In this stripping we are laid bare in a way that compels us to observe ourselves in truth. This can be traumatic but this experience also can be a powerful vehicle for advancement and growth, spiritually, mentally and psychologically. Only through examination of our true self will we find ourselves able to identify in us what is good, what is the product of our wounds and where we need healing.

There we find Christ, patiently waiting, hoping and alert.

While possibly experiencing searing pain, the one searching for his or her personal truth will come closer and closer to union with Christ. We cannot take all of the truth at once, one suspects, so in His mercy, God may allow a series of these stripping experiences suited to our strength in the areas mentioned."

Thank you, Lord, for stripping away the false me and uncovering my truths. As painful as it can be, once it's done and my truth remains for all to see, I will finally be free.

God bless,

Bonnie