In the midst of our Lenten journey, God doesn’t see us as everyone else sees us.
People around us may see us as cool, successful, unattractive, popular, old, whatever. It doesn’t matter at all how others may see us. God sees our hearts, sees us as we really are.
Perhaps we wish we had God fooled, like those we’ve led to believe that we’re less frightened, more confident, happier than we really are.
Or perhaps we’re deeply grateful that God sees through all the shallow, negative judgments which so many people have placed on us. Probably it’s both.
Our Lord, to our joy and to our sorrow, looks into our hearts and sees us as we really are. In Lent, that’s a call for introspection: to confess that we have not loved our Lord with our whole hearts, nor loved our neighbors as ourselves.
In Lent, it’s especially important that we confess our sinfulness as specifically as we’re able. In what ways have we failed God and ourselves? Because we can’t hide from God, we dare not use all our usual ways to avoid our sinfulness. We’re used to denying our sins, minimizing them, excusing them, blaming them on others.
This Lent, let’s examine ourselves, asking God to search our hearts. We benefit from naming our sins, our needs, and losses, and failings. And we admit to God that only by his grace and guidance can we find healing and help.
Thanks to G. Edward Whetstone and thanks to Kevin Turcios for the photo.
What about YOURSELF might YOU be hiding from God this Lent?
BROKEN THINGS CAN BECOME BLESSINGS IF YOU LET GOD DO THE MENDING!!
