Engage

Fully Known

It’s intimidating to think of being fully known by anyone, much less God. No matter how “together” our lives may be (or appear to be), we all have junk in the closet. Things that we’d rather others not find out about. Things that we feel need to stay hidden. Things that are embarrassing or shameful or incriminating to bring out into the light of day. And so we hide those undesirable parts of our person, and hope that we’ll never be found out.

But here’s the truth: You’ve been found out. God already knows. He knows your past, your present, your future, your thoughts, your behavior, your motivations, your desires, your aspirations, your sins, your shortcomings, all of it. Nothing is hidden from God. And yet, God still loves you. He loves you not because of who you are or what you’ve done but because of who he is and what he’s done.

In Romans 8, Paul reminds us exactly what God has done for us. He’s given his Son up for us all. He’s given us costly and lavish grace: “the gift of being accepted before we become acceptable” (Lewis Smedes). He’s given us his everlasting love.

And what’s more, nothing can separate us from his love. Nothing in heaven or on earth. Nothing in all creation. Not even our closets full of junk or our fear of being fully known, can separate us from his love.

So with the reassurance that you already have God’s everlasting and unconditional love, be bold and brave. Dare to be vulnerable before God and to present your full self before him. Invite him into those hidden places. Ask him to heal the hurt places. Ask him to root out the sinful places. Ask him to redeem the broken places. And do so knowing that God delights in and loves the true you.

Reflection Questions

1.     What junk is in your closet? What do you prefer to keep hidden from the view of others?

2.     If others were to find out about you junk in the closet, what do you imagine that they would say or do? Compare and contrast their response with the fact that God already fully knows you and loves you.

3.      What hidden place do you need to invite God into? What would it look like for you to vulnerably lay that area in God’s good and trustworthy hands? 

Tiffany is the Women's Ministry Coordinator at Irving Bible Church, and a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary. A proud, native Texan, she and her husband, Jason, live in Grapevine, Texas. She is passionate about advancing the God-given value of women and helping women to embrace their unique identity in Christ. She serves as a board member for the Association for Women in Ministry Professionals (AWMP) and served for the past 3 years on the leadership team for Polish Ministries, a ministry dedicated to helping young professional women connect their faith with their career.