When you paint the interior of a house, it takes extra effort to paint in all of the cupboards and little nooks and crannies. We could easily leave the clothes in the cupboards and the food in the pantry and not move the large furniture away from the walls when painting. We can think, "it's okay; nobody will bother looking or ever see those hidden places, so it doesn't matter".
It's a bit like how we can be very good at only allowing God and others to see what we are comfortable with. But the truth is even if people don't see everything about us, God does. He sees all. He sees the stuff hidden away in our "closets", the attitudes, fears, secret sins, habits, addictions, mindsets and anything else we try to push out of sight or cover up from others and ourselves.
Unfortunately, when we "closet" away areas of our life from God, it causes us to be able to draw near to Him only so far before we come to a grinding halt. We end up feeling like we can't go any further in our relationship because if we do, God or someone else might see parts of us we don't want to be seen or touched.
But the good news is God loves you and only wants to see you free and to bring his transforming presence into those hidden places of your life. In the parts, you've become very adept at covering up, accommodating or tucking away out of sight.
The Bible tells us, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13).
He loves you unconditionally, just the way you are. He accepts you, wants to bless you and always wants to draw you close. But He also loves you far too much to leave you in the state you can get in.
He wants to set you free in every area of your life. To clothe you with His presence, just like you would new paint in every cupboard, nook, cranny and hidden area of your life so that you are brand new.
Today I encourage you to allow God into every part of your life, even the hidden, closeted-away areas. He doesn't want to harm or condemn you but simply to cleanse and empower you to fulfil your destiny.
Let Him in so that He might restore and cover you with His love and presence, which goes deeper and transforms far more than any "coat of paint".
I love this song by Steffany Gretzinger and Amanda Cook called "Come out of Hiding", which shows how Jesus feels about us and wants to bring us out of hiding. Have a listen today and choose to take his hand and come out of hiding. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFkDqQtfs0w
"Before a word is on my tongue, you know it completely, O LORD" (Psalm 139:4).
"O LORD, you have searched me, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways" (Psalm 139:1-3).
"My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand—when I awake, I am still with you" (Psalm 139:15-16).
Prayer: Lord, please help me be honest with myself and you about my life. I know that I have things that I keep hidden from others and shut you out of. Would you please come and shine your light and presence into every area of my life so that I am no longer hiding but living free and fulfilling my destiny. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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