A Message in the Mess?

Last night, on my drive home, I was listening to a local Christian radio station. There was a speaker on there (who's name I do not know) talking to the host about Motherhood, and just womanhood in general. She spoke of some profound things that I thought were worth discussing.

The point of what she was discussing was basically that, as women, we are constantly comparing ourselves. She was speaking of motherhood, in particular, but it is something true of most every woman. One thing that really stuck out to me is when she said that, as a young mother, comparing herself was something she was having a very difficult time with and a friend said to her,

'Don't compare your insides to someone else's outsides.'

How true is that? I am not a mother, but I am a woman, and I try so hard not to compare myself to others, yet I always seem to be. I am not the type of person who likes to share my 'insides'. I hate people knowing that there may be even the slightest imperfection in my relationships, in my family, in my life in general. I am always putting on a face to cover my own messes. And, I know I am not the only woman to do this. So, if all the woman I am comparing my broken insides to are doing the same thing I do, then what an unfair comparison! I mean, I know,  in my heart, that people's lives are never perfect, and there are always things going on behind closed doors, but in that moment of comparison that doesn't seem to matter, or hold a candle to their seemingly perfect outside.

This woman also was speaking of her own experiences of sharing the brokenness in her life with those around her. Just the thought of being so brutally honest, even with my closest friends, terrifies me. However, she made a very good point.

If we, as Christians. put on this fake perfect life we scare people away. We may think that we are showing non-Christians what a beautiful life God gives us for following Him, but we are in fact doing the opposite. We intimidate people by this 'perfect' life, and they feel inadequate next to us because all they are able to see is their own failure and brokenness.

Is this making sense?

Anyway, by sharing our imperfection (& I am not saying you have to share specifics, but just the overall struggles) we encourage people to see us as their peers and not as holier-then-thou. We encourage people to come forward, share their own brokenness and open their hearts. When someone opens their heart, that is where God does his best work. So, we need to allow God to use us and our imperfection and brokenness as an instrument to reach those around us. And, most importantly, reach them in the midst of their brokenness, not in their perfection.

So, we need to find the message within our own mess, and allow others to see our mess and see the message. Don't be afraid of letting things get a little messy...it is in those moments where we grow the most.

Here's to sharing our messes,

Emily xo