It's Time To Reveal!

 

When something is revealed, it means it is shown for others to see. For a period of time, it was hidden and concealed in some way. For couples who are expecting a baby, gender reveals are becoming popular. Couples are finding unique ways, whether in person or virtual, to reveal to family and friends whether their baby is a boy or girl. As the reveal got closer, I am sure there was great anticipation and guesses as to the gender.  In whatever method is chosen, the blue powder reveals a boy and the pink powder reveals a girl. Excitement is in the air as preparation is made for the new arrival! Then there is another type of reveal that comes to my mind…a home renovation. I would like to say upfront that I love watching the home renovation shows on television! From the beginning to end, I love to see the transformation. When the experts begin going into the home, they began to inspect and take a closer look at the problems of the home. Rooms that may not have been used or known about, things under the floorboards or behind the walls all get revealed when the renovation happens. Sometimes it is a quick fix and other times it is not. But in all of it, the work must be put in once it is revealed. It cannot be ignored or shoved into a back corner. Once it is seen, something has to be done about it. Action needs to take place. So, if the gender of a baby and a renovated house can be revealed, what about our lives? What do we have hidden in our lives that needs to be given to God? We all have that one or more thing. It could be an attitude, traumatic event, insecurity, unsure decision you are wrestling with. Whatever it is, today is the day we can tell God about it. You can also reveal it to a trusted family member, friend, mentor, or counselor. Everyone cannot be trusted with what we reveal, so we must use wisdom in who we tell.  Individuals that will pray with and for you and not against you, those that want to see the best for you and not the worst, those that will pull you up when you are down and not push you further down. Individuals like that is who we can reveal our struggles, hardships, and hang-ups to.  They oftentimes can see it in us, even when we think we are hiding it well. Some people can make an accurate guess of what the gender of the baby is based on prior knowledge and being observant of the mother's appearance and behavior. The house experts can make conclusions about the house they are working on with close inspection and past experiences. The people in our lives close to us are the same way. I know I have some insecurities I still need to work through, but it took a conversation with a trusted mentor the other day that revealed it even more. She saw that I needed to have more confidence in myself in certain areas of my life. She observed how I had let past mistakes and what people say define me. I have become more confident and have come a long way and I am thankful for that! But there is still that piece of self-confidence I lack that she picked up on. How did she know? She listened to my words and was able to repeat them back to me. My words revealed lack of confidence. All we have to do is pay attention and listen. She was not just listening, but she was actively listening. I'm grateful for her and her being able to call out in me what needed to be revealed to help me. There is a work that God wants to keep doing in us (Philippians 1:6), so things can be revealed. It is to help us, not hurt us. It is a process and that is perfectly fine. The more that is revealed, the more we can heal. Situations in our lives also have a way of revealing things in us we didn’t know or we tried to forget about. James 1: 3 talks about how the testing of our faith produces endurance. It's in the endurance that our character is revealed and built. We all have struggles and we don't have to be ashamed of them. We don't have to beat ourselves up. I'm constantly reminding myself to be kind to myself and show grace to myself. Shoutout to all in my life that constantly remind me of this!! We all need to keep being open to having things taken away or added (think about the home renovation and baby being born). It is a process and will open up our eyes to a lot, but it will also change us for the better. What better time to let the reveal begin than now? It may be scary, exciting, some of both, but what a great transformation it will be!