A New Hiding Place: Is #flawless really #hiding

Hide and Seek

If you take the time to play with any kid under the age of seven, you will probably find out that they are game for a round of ‘Hide and Seek’….I laugh as I remember how my daughter would cover her eyes and think we could not see her. Now she is way more clever. She has learned how to camouflage herself, often leaving us flabbergasted as we search high and low for her. Or what about the kid who is truly a pro at hiding? That was my son – I remember how he almost gave me a heart attack – he liked to hide in the clothing racks at Macy’s and he would remain so quiet. I would call out “Jalen, Jalen where are you? You better come here right now!” And all I would hear is crickets. I would try my best to maintain my composure and not bring attention to the fact that I could not find my child whom I was supposed to be watching. #Momoftheyear , yeah that’s me! Eventually, he would come out and my anxiety would dissipate, we hugged and all was well again. What is it about hiding that is so exhilarating to kids?

The truth of the matter is, even adults hide. I am not sure that we like hiding, maybe it’s more that we are well acquainted with it. Maybe we are not even aware that we are hiding. Could it be that we’ve hidden so long that we have fooled ourselves into thinking we are open and free, while secretly we are bound? Hmmmm. 😐  Unlike children, we don’t usually hide physically. Although some days, I have dreamed of what it would be like to run away and hide so no one will bother me – But those are fleeting thoughts. When I speak of hiding, it would look more like pretending, covering things up, putting on a facade, trying to be something you are not. Hiding is hard work and being found out can be terrifying. But I have GOOD NEWS! You don’t have to hide!

I know these days we have to wake up #flawless and everything is #perf. But all of that is a lie. It is a cover up. Nothing on this side of heaven is flawless, nothing on this side of heaven is perfect. And. that. is. O-kay. My husband and I are currently leaders in a marriage study called Re|engage. Just last week we were discussing some of the challenges we have had to overcome in our marriages. One of the prominent lies that every couple had dealt with was: “My marital issues and problems are different or unique.” When we begin to believe our issues, circumstances, situations – our life – has issues or problems that are different or unique, it can often lead to us attempting to protect ourselves by hiding. We hide behind the facades of a perfect life, a perfect marriage, a perfect body, the perfect house, the perfect car…..uuuuuuuugh it is exhausts me just saying it. We cover up things that don’t seem beautiful.

At one point in my life, I had many unhealthy relationships. I was emotionally, physically, and mentally worn down. But I was so good at hiding. Everything on the outside (for the most part) looked perfect. My kid dressed perfect, my achievements were to applaudable, my apartment was nice, but it was all a facade. I ran across a picture the other day from that time period and I was astounded. The picture was nice. I was smiling – I looked darn happy. But as I looked into her eyes (my eyes), my heart broke for the girl inside. She was hiding behind all of those beautiful distractions. Real beauty comes when you are able to reveal your true self. Authentic beauty and true freedom comes when you stop hiding and pretending and you embrace who you are and where you are. It’s not that I think you should walk around wearing everything you feel or deal with on your sleeve. No, that’s not it at all. But coming out of hiding is so freeing! It is so beautiful, way more beautiful than pretending. It can be scary to come out of hiding. People might judge you, some may ridicule you, but what if some encourage you? What if some start blessing you? When we hide, we block people out, we sometimes even block God out. We create our own refuge when God should be our refuge. If you want to run away and hide, do it…but do it the right way. Hide yourself in God.

Psalms 32:7

You are a hiding place for me; you preserve from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

Yes, life is tough sometimes. The days truly can be evil. Things don’t go the way we planned or hoped for sometimes. And yes, we feel like hiding. But instead of hiding so much so that you forget who you truly are, hide in the shadows of the Lord, let him surround you with shouts of deliverance. Your help is on the way. And in that, you can rejoice!