Thursday, August 7, 2025
New Testament Reading Plan: Mark 4
I’ve been having a lot of conversations over the past two weeks about vulnerability and being known. Not intentionally - the topic just keeps coming up.
There can be so much joy in being fully known - by family, friends, and God. It’s a wonderful feeling to be seen and accepted just as you are. But getting to that place can be deeply challenging. It requires showing our whole selves, including the parts we’d rather others not see.
It reminds me of my house. Lately, I’ve been afraid to have people over because of its current state. July was a busy month, and I haven’t had much time to clean. The floor hasn’t been vacuumed, weeds are overgrown outside, the bathrooms need to be cleaned, and there are piles of laundry scattered around - washed, mind you, but not yet folded or put away.
Honestly, it embarrasses me to admit all of that here in a devotional, so you can imagine how I felt hosting friends over for my Group. I warned them ahead of time, to which one friend replied: “Invite us into the mess! We just want to spend time together!”
Isn’t that what we all want from our relationships, with God and with others? To feel safe inviting them into the mess? It doesn’t magically clean itself up. Sin - like the dirt in my shower - shouldn’t be left unattended long-term. But once we overcome the fear and shame enough to admit something’s wrong, we can get the help we need to start making it right.
It’s tempting to keep our sins and shortcomings hidden, but when we confess them to God and others, it brings them to the light. Then we can begin to experience the freedom God intended for us, and the unshakeable joy that comes with it.
1 John 1:9
But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.
Questions:
Is it hard for you to show your whole self to others - the good and the bad?
What keeps you from confessing sins to God or trusted friends?
Next Steps:
Take time to pray honestly with God, confessing any sins you’ve been struggling to open up about. (He already knows.)
Then, talk with a trusted friend you can be open and honest with.
Consider joining a Group, if you haven’t already, where you can grow authentic relationships with other Christians who are happy to be “invited into the mess.”
Prayer: 21 Days of Prayer - Day 4
Dear God, you alone deserve all honor, glory, and praise. You are our refuge and strength in every storm we face. You are the only true solution to the problems that plague our world today. Fill our world with your love and empower us to share your love with others. I also pray that you would ignite a deep passion in the church for your mission and for your message to reach every corner of the earth. We pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.
Series Theme Verse:
Psalm 16:11
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.
This post was written by Payton Lechner, a Perrysburg attendee, and a regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.