What's Next?: The Journey To Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, And Make A DifferenceSample

Transparency: Honesty Is The Best Policy

Just like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we all tend to create our own fig leaves in an attempt to cover our mistakes and indiscretions. We don’t want to face the truth about what we’ve done and the impact our selfishness has had on others. We don’t want to face the consequences of our actions. It’s so much easier to hide—from ourselves, from others, from God—and refuse to engage with the truth.

If we want to live in the fullness of God’s freedom, however, we must commit to living in truth. Jesus said the truth will set us free. Embracing truth is the only way to grow closer to God and mature in our faith. At our church, we like to say you’re only as sick as your secrets—whatever you’re hiding, running from, denying. It could be an addiction, a mistake from your past, an ongoing battle with a destructive habit. If you feel ashamed, trapped, and unsure of how to get unstuck, be encouraged today, because the answer is actually very simple: Face the truth. Tell the truth. Accept God’s truth.

Instead of hiding your mistakes and secret hang-ups, start practicing brutal honesty by sharing your authentic self with others. Find friends you can trust, and be willing to go below the surface and share what might seem too scary to let anyone else know. This kind of authenticity results in both a deeper personal relationship with God, as we grow increasingly aware of His grace, and deeper relationships with others, as they get to see the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. It’s OK if this kind of honesty doesn’t feel natural at first. Full transparency and healthy intimacy take practice, but the freedom they bring is worth it.