Transparency

I found myself being what I thought I hated on Sunday.

I don't cry in front of people. I don't like to show my weaknesses. I certainly don't rely on others to help me through a tough time.

These are all things that I, Robin Lawrence, DO NOT DO!

Thank God...thanks to Him...I did all of these things on Sunday with some amazing ladies in my care group. The things I had always chalked up to being what the "weak" Christians did when they needed some attention, I now realize take much courage and humility to do.

It is amazing how many layers of pride God has to peel off of us. The worst thing about pride is the disdain for others it causes. God opposes the proud! Ponder that. He is utterly against a proud heart. It is the humble, meek, transparent heart that He gathers to Himself.

Pastor Shorey said something a while back that made a lasting impression on me. He said, "There is nothing that I could possibly confess to others that God doesn't already know and hasn't already forgiven me for."

Instead of accepting forgiveness and restoration, the temptation is there to keep things hidden from the view of outsiders. My flesh can conjure up a thousand reasons to remain silent. Just imagine if David, Paul, Augustine, Luther, Bunyan, Spurgeon, Lloyd-Jones, Eliot, Piper, and countless more had felt it beneath them to reveal their struggles with sin to the world. This sinner, for one, would have a much harder journey without the encouragement and instruction from this great host.

My Father knows all. The great encouragement is that God uses the testimonies of humble sinners to bring about radical reformation in the hearts of other believers. Sharing struggles and victories is a way that we can serve one another.

Sanctification. It really is a beautiful word. I am so thankful for the emphasis that TFC places on the sanctifying process. It can burn sometimes! But you emerge purer and holier, by God's grace.

"Don't wait until you get to heaven to know God...start now!" - Paul Washer