Ripping Off the Bandaid
One morning at a Women’s Retreat I had the pleasure of meeting and enjoying my breakfast with one of the sweetest souls I’ve ever met. We were reflecting on the speakers and how the Holy Spirit was moving in a big way; exposing strongholds and sinful natures in almost every woman. God was molding women and tough conversations of the heart were happening.
Reflecting on my own experience I jokingly said, “yeah I just wish God would rip the bandaid off.” Truthfully speaking, my organized and type A self just wanted everything to be exposed at once so I could have my checklist of what to work on! In her sweet voice she looked at me and said “God doesn’t do that because you could not handle all the truths he’d reveal.” OUCH!
Paul delivers a similar message to the Corinth church in 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 as he addresses judgment of other believers and that God sees all. Paul was warning how easy it is to pass judgment on fellow believers. “My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.”
Only God knows our true hearts and motives and he is the ONLY one that has a right to judge. PERIOD. As we stay connected to His Word and through the power of the Holy Spirit, God will reveal to us “our darkest secrets and private motives.” 2 Cor 4:5. This is the lifetime process of ripping the bandaid off and exactly why we couldn’t handle it all at once. But it’s our bandaid to rip off.
At first, we may want to run because we don’t like what’s being revealed. But God wants to bring that junk inside of us to light so that we can grow stronger, more confident, and closer to Him. He wants to slowly transform us into the image of His son, Jesus Christ.
In Hebrews 4:12 it is written that “the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one (the only one!) to whom we are accountable.”
Jeanne Guyon wrote, “How clearly do you see yourself? The more we see our true self the more we want to abandon self and seek God.” As the bandaid slowly rips away, the more we want to seek God. Wait! What? You would think the opposite would happen but it frees us. It brings peace. We learn that through this process of sanctification we see God’s abundant love and we can rest without shame or guilt. #transformation
The band aid is there because others have no right to see and judge our hearts. And we all have them. Like Paul, we should be concerned with what God sees, not any human evaluation. And we certainly shouldn’t evaluate one Christian as being better than another. Our God, our Abba Father, sees all things. He already knows what lies beneath the bandaid. And He loves us despite the wound. God reveals you – only to you – through His Word so that your life can be transformed.
From Rooted
Heather & Lisa
