Stop Hiding

When I was a child one of my favorite games to play was hide and seek. I believed that I was the master at finding great hiding places and my mastery was validated by my friends’ inability to find me. I was rarely caught. The main contributing factor to my talent as a great “hider,” was the pleasure and joy I experienced when trying to find a great hiding place. The utmost sense of enjoyment I felt was not in avoiding being found, but in finding that one place that no one could find me. For me, the real game was the quest to find the optimum place to hide.

I have come to realize that there are many of us who, even as adults, still engage in hide and seek. We are still trying to find the most excellent hiding places. The difference now is that we are not just seeking to avoid being found by friends, but we are primarily looking to hide from ourselves. We seek to hide who we are from ourselves so that we don’t have to accept the responsibility of confronting our true selves. In other words, we hide from ourselves in order to steer clear of the path that leads to self-discovery.

The places we now hide are for more numerous than our childhood hiding places. We hide in our fear. We hide in our doubts. We hide in our insecurities. We hide in our pain. We hide in our past mistakes. We hide in our desires. We hide in our accomplishments. We hide in our jobs. We hide in our money. We hide in our families. The list of hiding places can go on and on, but the point is we have become great “hiders.” It is time to stop hiding! Emerge from your hiding place and discover who you truly are in God. God has consecrated you by His spirit, shaped you for His glory, and ordained you for greatness. Embrace it today!

Peace and Blessings,

Pastor Mike