Who Are You Hiding From?
I used to love to play peek-a-boo with my kids when they were babies. There is something so funny when I child thinks that just because their eyes are covered, they are hidden. This makes me reflect on how we are before God at times. The moments when we try to mask our emotions, questions, and failures before God is no different than a game of peek-a-boo. God sees all things. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 139:7, “Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.” God is all-knowing, all-seeing, and always present. While this should bring us comfort, at times it causes us to try to hide a little more, especially when our actions or emotions make us feel ashamed or less than worthy of His affection.
To be ashamed means to be embarrassed or guilty because of something a person has done or feels they are characterized as. In Genesis 3 we get a glimpse of the first time man is found hiding from God. In verse 10, Adam is responding to God asking why he was hiding. Adam says, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked so I hid.”
Adam and Eve were ashamed and it caused them to hide from God behind a fig leaf. The funny thing is, God already knew what they had done. Even when we try our best to hide the most exposed aspects of who we are from God, He sees them anyway. Here’s the truth, God can’t heal what you don’t acknowledge and He can’t give grace to who you pretend to be. By hiding our true self from God, we are putting a barrier up from receiving His transformative, healing, love in its truest form. From the moment Adam and Eve messed up, God began a redemptive plan for mankind. That plan includes erasing all shame by the work of the cross.
“Such a confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.” 2 Corin 3:4
When we hide from God, we are deeming ourselves unworthy of His love. Even though we should have hearts to please and obey God, that in and of itself doesn’t deem us worthy. We are worthy of God’s love because of one thing and that is the blood of Jesus applied to our hearts. When Jesus died on the cross, He took on shame so that we wouldn’t have to live in it.
When we run to and not from God in our moments of questions and imperfections, His perfect love will draw us in to become more like Him. To be authentic before God is the only way to truly receive His love. So be brave enough to expose your full heart to Him today. He won’t reject you or belittle you. He will draw you close by His kindness, mercy, and love. He will respond to the hurts in your heart, He will mend your wounds, and He will call you to a greater purpose than you would ever deem yourself worthy of, He will take away the shame and say, “You are enough.” Stop hiding and just be authentically you before a loving God.