Let’s be honest

I just love how honest and truly funny the Word of God is.

This week, I have been exploring the book of Judges, which I must say, somebody should make a whole freakin’ series out of this one book. You want action and love and drama and war and all that good stuff?? Go to the book of Judges. I’m getting all excited just blogging about this. Anyway, I was reading the book of Judges the other day and read something that completely caught me off guard.

Judges 3:17 (NLT):

He brought the tribute money to Eglon, who was very fat.

Ok, so I don’t know about ya’ll, but I tend to find comedy in the strangest things. This right here, had me for real tickled. Now, I won’t go all into what that story was about. I strongly encourage you to read Judges 3:12-29. I promise you, it’s good. My thing is why would God allow something so rude (I say rude because I just don’t like calling folks fat), yet so honest in His Word? Why was it important to set this story up letting us know that this dude was fat? Aside from me thinking that like me, God has a sense of humor out of this world, I got to thinking that maybe God just wants us to know how very honest He and His Word is. That one line made me think of how different the world would be if we just got real with each other.

This is Key’s PSA: I’m not telling you to go out in the world and point out every person that you may consider fat or anything like that. What I’m saying is that we, as the body of Christ, as people in general, should be just as honest with ourselves and others as God is with us. We don’t even know what someone could be struggling with. We don’t know what us hiding our “secret sins” could be doing to damage instead of help. Maybe if we honestly let people know what we are going through, we could be healed and set free right along with them.

Take for instance the relationship I have with my friend Orbree. I promise God placed this girl in my life and in my head. Every single time she voices stuff she is going through, I’m like, “God, whyyyy You tellin’ sis all my business? Why she know exactly what I was praying and talking to You about today?” It’s like my friend be in my prayer closet with me. We share the same struggles, issues, and frustrations. We share the same prayer requests. We share so much. But what if we walked around each other pretending nothing was wrong? What if I was too embarrassed to say, “Sis, I know God says wait and no sex, but I for real just wanna do it today. Like I really really want to.” But because I can be honest with her, she’s able to tell me how that little window of doing something like that may feel great in the moment, but right after, I know I will regret it later and we have come too far to go backwards.

I’m pretty sure that there are so many people in the body of Christ struggling with premartial sex, marital issues, porn, alcoholism, identity issues, generational curses, and so much more. As a matter of fact, I KNOW we are, because I struggle with some of that stuff and I love Jesus. But just because I love Jesus, doesn’t mean I don’t have problems that I have to face and strongholds I’m trying to shake. Shoot, Jesus is the only reason I’m still sane and standing. He’s why I gotta keep going to the house of God. And what’s great about God’s house and the body of Christ is that I don’t have to face this stuff alone. At the very end of this post, I left a song with a lot meaning to it. If you have the time, check it out and really take in the lyrics. The best part of that song to me is:

I’m a mess and so are you
We’ve built walls nobody can get through
Yeah, it may be hard, but the best thing we could ever do, ever do

Bring your brokenness, and I’ll bring mine
‘Cause love can heal what hurt divides
And mercy’s waiting on the other side
If we’re honest
If we’re honest

Bring your brokenness. Bring your truth. I’m bringing mine and though it’s scary, I’m getting free. The enemy wants us to hide and suffer in silence with our secrets, but not my God. He wants us healed. Jesus came to set the captives free! Just think. You went through something, but YOU’RE STILL HERE! God allows things sometimes because He knows you’re strong enough to get through it with His help and because you got through it, you’re now equipped to help somebody else. Let that sink in. Receive that truth. Receive that God wants to use you, YOU, to help somebody else.

Let’s be an honest type of people. Let’s look at the Word, and live it out truthfully. Let’s be open to God using us, y’all. Man, this life is short and there are soooo many people in this world who need us to share Jesus with them, to share our lives with them, to let them know they’re not alone in what they may be going through. We need to show the world that church people ain’t perfect. We don’t always have it altogether. We ain’t always on the straight and narrow, but we serve an amazing God who ain’t lookin’ for perfection. He’s not keeping score. He’s a God that wants all your brokenness, all your good days and worst days, all of your heart, all your dreams, mistakes, and fears. He wants all of you, just as you are. And with all that you are, He can work with that. Just be real with Him. Just be honest.

God, I thank You for Your honesty. I thank You for the people You’ve placed in my life that are trustworthy, loving, and who allow me to be broken and for me to bare all. I’m even more thankful that when I come to You, nothing can be hidden–not a thing. And that’s so freeing because with You, I can be intimate, personal, and real. That used to scare the mess out of me, but the more I get closer to You, the more I appreciate You being able to see the real me. I’m not perfect and I never will be. I’m human. I got struggles. I got issues. I still mess up in the very areas I keep saying I’ve surrendered to You. I got scars and baggage and sometimes I feel alone in this, but I know I’m not. The enemy wants me to believe that lie, but I refuse to any longer.

There’s so much about You that’s amazing, but I am elated just knowing that You are too much God to allow me to remain hurting and in hiding. You are too good to let someone, ANYONE, stay stuck. I’m so grateful for that..so grateful for freedom..so grateful I don’t have to live in brokenness, fear, or shame. I’m grateful for my life, my family, and my friends. I’m grateful that I can be of use to You. May I be honest with myself, with You, and with others. May my honesty bring change to this world and glory to Your amazing name. Love always, Your daughter, Key❤