Weather Report From Heaven: Sunny and bright, with an abundance of light and lots of singing and rejoicing.
Scripture- “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Proverbs 18:2
Insight: One of the myriad of political hotspots during this election year in the idea of walls to keep people from illegally entering our Country. It seems strange to me because almost every Country I have been to in the world has some type of border ‘wall” or protection to keep people from just flooding in. If you have no borders, you have no Country. Mexico has a wall on their Southern Border to keep people from illegally entering their Country. Many people have walls or at least fences in our neighborhood as a type of “border” or protection from outside intruders. Many of the same politicians who oppose walls or borders, live behind giant walls themselves. But here is what I wanted to talk about today: Not physical walls but walls we build around our own hearts to shield us or protect us from pain.
I think at times all of us build impenetrable walls around certain areas of our life. We do it because we have been hurt and we don’t want to be hurt again. We do it because we feel it makes us safe. We do it to project an image that we have it all together, and we don’t want to seem vulnerable. But here’s the truth: walls in our life always lead to more pain and isolation! It never fixes the root problem, it only exasperates it. It also keeps us outside of God’s will. God wants us to be vulnerable, to admit we need help. He wants us to be inclusive and real, not reclusive and hidden. When we bring our pain out into the light for others to see, they can help us heal and provide comfort and wisdom. When we choose isolation, we drown inward in a sea of self-pity. One big problem I see with social media is it always seems about projecting a perfect image. Many seem to be busy trying to capture the perfect moment, so they can share it with others, instead of living the perfect moment. It is why many have referred to Facebook as Fakebook. It’s all so white-washed. It is much more powerful and cathartic when we admit we don’t have everything together and we need help. Only when we tear our walls down, can God step in to help. Otherwise, we harden our hearts and keep Him out, which is the worst thing we can do.
I know this is true, because I did this after my Dad moved out of our house when I was 12 years old. I wouldn’t let anyone close to me, nor would I ever share the pain I was feeling. I simply tried to anesthetize my pain. I just closed off that part of my life, and my heart, and pretended everything was fine. But of course,it wasn’t fine, and I needed someone I could talk with about my pain. It took me 25 years until I could finally get the pain out in the open, and that was when I first encountered the Risen Lord and laid all of my pain and burden at His feet. He not only took my pain away, He encouraged me to share my story and to possibly help others. He pleaded with me to tear my walls down. I did and it felt great. I had become the Dead Sea emotionally, and was dying in my own despair. I know there are many out there who struggle with the same emotional pain of abandonment by those you most trusted as I did. Building a wall only keeps others out, when you most need to let others in. Tear the walls down, and let your real feelings out so healing can begin. God is the Rock and Fortress we need to build our lives on, everything else is shifting sand. (Matthew 7:25-27) He alone provides the affirmation and sufficiency we need for our souls, and that we can never get on FaceBook, or FakeBook, no matter how hard we try.
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