Sunday, January 10, 2016

Authentically letting Jesus in the Boat

I'm pretty sure that pretty soon people are going to get really tired of me just sticking the word authentic in front of everything.  I can't help it though, I feel like it is my word.  It is the word that God is like, I made this word for you.  It isn't true, I mean not really...but I am owning this word, because I think that in owning it I understand Him so much more.  

Today's sermon was about Jesus being in the boat with us.  I couldn't help but think...ofcourse I let Him in the boat with me.  Then I feel like there was this conversation going on between God and I.  It was more like "Do you really."  And I was like, "Ofcourse I do."  Then God was like...."I don't think you do."  And on and on...

So you can imagine how this conversation went...I'm sure we all can identify...

One of my biggest take-aways from today was that I have to recognize that Jesus is in the boat with me.  I have to understand that He does have every single storm under control.  That He understands the struggles I have inside of myself that no one else knows about.  The truth is that I need to be authentic with Jesus.  

One might think that is a pretty easy thing to do, because who knows us best?  Ofcourse God does!  Yet, I find myself trying to convince God that the problems I have well they aren't really problems at all, in fact I think I try to convince God that I don't even feel the things I do.  

This is pretty confusing to me, but it also has this weird way of making sense.  You see if I can convince God that I really do have everything under control, and that my problems really aren't that big of a deal, then it will seem like I have everything together...even to God, right?  

WRONG!  Big fat stinking...WRONG!  God knows!  I can hide nothing from him.  Whether they are feelings about someone that I am trying to convince myself I don't have, or that I really wasn't trying to get in touch with that person that is super toxic and not a person I need to be in touch with....or just the fact that I need to give others more love and grace.  

You see when I authentically acknowledge that Jesus is in my boat, that He is with me in EVERY SINGLE STRUGGLE I have...well that seems to be like letting HIM completely in to see all of me.  The parts that I hide so well from others, the inner thoughts that are sometimes not the nicest.  When I am authentic in Jesus' presence....then I have nothing left but to allow Jesus to take control of that storm.  

So, today I think being authentic with Jesus is worth far more than being comfortable with everyone around me.  I must first be transparent with Him, because if I'm not then having him inside the boat with me is pretty much pointless, isn't it?  

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