In the past, it’s been easy for me to want to hide.
To say little white lie not to be punished.
To run to my room to avoid wrath.
To cover my head to stop feeling shame.
To not feel so as to not have to deal.
To cast blame on another so it’s not on me.
To compare so as to hide my faults.
To fight back to protect my vulnerable areas.
To judge to highlight faults.
To avoid prayer when I am deep in sin.
To push the love of God out the door when I feel bad.
To feel he God doesn’t like me when I fail.
I’ve played this game of hide-and-go-seek my entire life. Deep and dark hiding places were intimate spots of coverage. They kept the stampede of critiques, condemning words and criticisms far.
Yet, as alluring as this game appeared – there was one thing I always found true – it’s a flat-out a losing game. The seeker finds the hider. And when they do, the hider comes out exposed, vulnerable and embarrassed.
Isn’t this really just a game of shame
hidden under the disappearing cloak of safety?
We think we are hiding our worst parts, but we never really are.
What we cover for a moment, but are left vulnerable for a lifetime.
We want to go unseen, until we realize we are unseen even from ourselves.
We distance ourselves from the light of God, only to realize we have become acquainted with darkness.
We hide – obstructing us from the love of others.
We are alone.
The crazy part about this game is – as much as we think we hide, we are – and always have been – seen.
The Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Gen. 3:9-11
God may call out to us, “Where are you?” but please rest assured – he knows where we are.
How do we answer him? Do we admit our ineffective strategies? Our location? Our true heart? God’s power is best seen in the light and our transformation best occurs with God in sight.
What is he calling you to reveal?
He will take care of you. You see, God understands our need to hide – and, interestingly, he is not against this strategy, he’s just against doing it the wrong way.
He wants us to have cover, protection, a safe home, a guarded spirit.
Here is how the Word instructs us to hide:
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Ps. 32:7
Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me in the shadow of Your wings. Ps. 72:8
For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock. Ps. 27:5
Under God, we hide.
Then, we don’t sit cowered in fear, but empowered with his bravery.
We step into the world with courage, rather than retreating discouraged.
We live true to who he made us to be, rather than trying to flee.
God is love. He sees us for who we are and he accepts us. If he didn’t want us, we would have already let us go. But, he didn’t. He sent his one and only son to pave a way to bravery for us.
There is bravery found in hiding. This bravery is found by retreating into the deep, sacred and loving hiding places of God. Only then, do we become brave.
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Today, I join #LiveFreeThursday, #DancewithJesus and Five Minute Friday.
Kelly, it takes that kind of bravery to step out and share our imperfections with others, doesn’t it? We risk disapproval, judgement, and a myriad of other things, but those things are from the enemy! You are so right. When we release that shame, God releases in us a confidence and freedom that can only come from Him! Have a great day, friend!
Thank you Kristine. Isn’t it funny how bravery is exactly the opposite as we would consider it. God is so awesome. He doesn’t work as we do. Let’s fall under his protection.
It does take bravery to come clean with our sin before God and admit our weaknesses to others. I love that it takes real courage to hide in God. He is our Hiding Place! Visiting you from #DanceWithJesus! Blessings on your weekend, friend!
Hi Betsy! Happy Friday. I hope that your weekend is full of blessings, love and joy. Thank you for visiting me today. Let’s be brave in Christ.
Thank you for these thoughts! “There is bravery in hiding.” So true!
Thank you for visiting me today. There is bravery; let’s seize it.
Stopping by from FMF and I quite enjoyed your perspective on this word. I know those tactics all too well. The only good place to hide is in him. Thanks for your words of truth.
So true Debby. He is the only way to the real peace we seek. Only in him do we find rest.
Stopping over from FMF this morning. Love the lines “Under God, We Hide” in particular.
Thanks sweet Katie! I am glad you liked it. xoxo
You continue to amaze me, Kelly. This – “There is bravery found in hiding. This bravery is found by retreating into the deep, sacred and loving hiding places of God. Only then, do we become brave.” So beautiful sweet friend. Thanks for teaching me that hiding has such a positive aspect!
Blessings and hugs,
Kamea
Thank you Kamea. Let’s be so brave that we enter in with all walls down, having lives that are completely unobstructed to his glory. Thank you for your loving words to me.
Ah, hiding with a purpose in a specific place of refuge–and not just because I’m trying to avoid something. Thank you for revealing this truth, Kelly.
I know right? An entirely different kind of hiding. Let’s go to this place!
I love that you said it takes bravery to hide — hide in Jesus. Absolutely. I love that.
Why do we ever think we can hide from God? But, man, I am so guilty of doing it, too. Thank you for showing the Truth about hiding — that we can’t! 🙂
God indeed does see us! God calls us to trust in him and take comfort in him. I loved this post!
Kelly, beautiful post on “hiding” in Him – I’m always so focused on how I try to hide “from” Him – thanks for encouraging me today sweet friend!
Thank you so much. I pray you can hide in him more and more Kim.
Lovely post, Kelly. He is our hiding place, in all the best ways. And because He is such a good Daddy we never have to run and hide from Him, even when we sin. His love for us, which fills us with good, and brave, and trust and all else we need, is so amazing that our mere mortal words can only paint of portrait of it behind the veil for now… Happy Weekend, friend. 🙂
Thank you Sheila. God is good all the time. He is so good that we can go to him and he will never leave us sad or alone. What a refuge he is.
Kelly, this truly warmed my heart! —> “This bravery is found by retreating into the deep, sacred and loving hiding places of GOD. Only then, we become brave.” … I felt THE PRESENCE of THE LORD in just reading your words, dear friend. Thank you so much for sharing this! Infinite blessings to you, Love! 🙂
Thank you Tai. All I want is for Jesus to shine so it is a true blessing to hear this. I am praying over you dear friend.
Thank you for sharing your step in bravery and encouraging us to be strong with you.
Thank you Amy! It is an honor to have you visit me. Let’s be strong!
Kelly, you have truly blessed me with your honesty about a subject I am guilty of and sharing the reassurance that comes from the Word of God. Thank you!
I am so glad that this blessed you. I feel honored to be a vehicle of God’s truth. Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope it is one that you will return to often. I would love to have the opportunity to get to know you more. Much love to you as hide in the right place. 😉
“…as much as we think we hide, we are – and always have been – seen.” I’m so thankful that we’re “seen”. Without His view, we’d be in a heap of trouble. One of my stand-by prayers that is used often and always answered is this: Lord, show me my heart. If there’s anything in there that fails to bring you glory, show me. Reveal it, Lord, and heal it.
Encouraging post, Kelly! Visiting via #DancewithJesus
Kelly, we must be on the same wavelength! I also wrote about hiding in God for my fmf post. You’re right, there is bravery in the right hiding place. Blessings to you! xo
Thanks Kelly, for encouraging me to be brave! Thanks also for linking up in #wordsfocomfort link up. Blessings!
W/Love,
Tayrina from TGAWrites