Choose to Be Transparent

It has been said that we are only as sick as our secrets – secret pasts, secret sins, secret desires. When we are faced with those moments in life when we have the chance to be honest and vulnerable, too often we choose to keep our secrets. We are usually ashamed and fear that if our secrets get out, bad things will happen. We fear losing relationships, being judged by others, or having to make changes. 



Unfortunately, the longer we hide our sin and shame, the more we are tempted to feed the beast. Maybe it’s shame that we’ve carried with us since childhood that we were helpless to deal with as a child; and now it keeps us depressed.  We haven’t told anyone and haven’t been able to disassociate ourselves from this past, so we keep it hidden.



Maybe it’s a behavior that we know is not fitting for us as a Christian. When we continue the action, we are choosing against Christ. But we don’t think of it that way. We discard that thought and deceive ourselves as we secretly give ourselves over to the darkness. 



The Bible tells us to do the opposite - confess our sins, expose the truth, bring all acts out into the light where darkness will fade away.  This is the only path to true freedom. Jesus died on the cross so that we could live free from shame. 



Consider taking one secret area of your life, confess it to God, and ask Him to help you be truthful about it to one other person you love and trust. Then release your secret to this person. Expose your truth and ask God to keep that part of your life revealed. Ask the person to check with you from time to time about whether or not you’ve been open and honest on this topic. See how God will free you from the bondage and secrecy of shame and deception. Choose to be transparent. When you’ve got nothing to hide, you have everything to live for. You don’t have to hide anything anymore – that’s freedom right down to your soul!

Copyright © 2010 Beth Livingston, used with permission.