While out walking recently, I noticed that the shrubbery on this one street was overgrown. I had to dodge limbs and branches that were sticking out into the sidewalk. The other day, however, there was a noticeable change.
As you can see from the picture, the greenery has been hacked away and now all that’s left are brambles. It’s hard to believe that under what appeared to be lush was a hot mess.
It’s no longer enjoyable to walk up this street and I have considered taking another route. However, it’s a great incline so if I want to retain any type of muscle tone in my legs, I must stay the course!
Yet, I find myself looking away when I pass by it. This got me to thinking about a few things, especially as it relates to social media. I’m noticing more and more that the posts I’m reading are like the lush greenery of these bushes. But I have to ask myself what’s really percolating underneath? No one’s life can be THAT perfect.
We all want to put our best foot forward and save the bramble for our closest friends and confidantes. But it’s our bramble that makes us real. It’s our messes that actually make us authentic and relatable as human beings.
My book, “Finding God, Finding Me” is full of my brambles from my early childhood through recent years. It was scary to share these. Very scary. Yet, when people reached out to me with their “I thought I was the only one” stories after reading it, I was so happy I took the risk. My mess had a message for someone.
Here’s what I’m learning:
Until we can be honest with ourselves and others about our brambles, we will miss the opportunity for true and deep relationships. We will miss the intimacy that comes when we are truly vulnerable with another human being.
The same thing holds true with our Father in heaven. We can continue to have a superficial relationship with Him, or we can go deeper. We can just check off the boxes with God just spending time out of obligation or we can spend quality time with Him, baring our brambles.
“…casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NKJV)
As a parent, if my kids did this, I’d be hurt. I’d be sad. I’d wonder why they didn’t want to spend time with me. Our Father in heaven feels the same way. From day one in the garden with Adam and Eve, His desire was to walk with them and talk with them. And since God never changes (Malachi 3:6), guess what? His desire is STILL to walk and talk with His kids.
God loves us whether we’re all pretty and lush or a hot mess. It doesn’t change how He feels about us. He can take our messes and turn them into messages that will transform someone’s life.
This week, I’d like to encourage you to share your brambles with your heavenly Father. It might look ugly at first, but God knows how to get beauty from ashes (Isaiah 61:3).
When we are willing to pull off the covers with God, then He can truly show us the beauty He sees inside each of us.