Coming Out of Hiding

[janbear]

Bible reading:Genesis 3:6-13
We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
Many of us have spent our life in a state of hiding, ashamed of who we are inside. We may hide by living a double life, by using drugs or giving in to other addictions to make us feel like someone else, or by self-righteously setting ourselves above others. Step 4 involves uncovering the things we have been hiding, even from ourselves.
After Adam and Eve disobeyed God, "they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves....Then the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?' He replied, 'I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked'" ( Genesis 3:7-10). Human beings have been covering up and hiding ever since!.

To be continued

[janbear]

Jesus consistently confronted the religious leaders about their hypocrisy. The word hypocrite describes a person who pretends to have virtues or qualities that he really doesn't really have. One time Jesus said to these leaders, "Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish but inside you are filthy-full of greed and self indulgence!...First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean too".
Matthew 23:25-26

[janbear]

When the real person inside us comes out of hiding, we will have to deal with some dirt! Making this inventory is a good way to "wash the inside ", some of that washing may involve bathing our life with tears. It is only by uncovering the hidden parts of ourselves that we will be able to change the outer person, including our addictive/ compulsive behaviors.