Secrets

Last night I had dinner with a dear friend who struggles with a secret. We often talk, my friend and I, about both of our secrets and will someone ever be able to fully accept them...we also talk about whether or not God will ever totally remove it; much like Paul asked for the thorn in his side to be removed, but God never did remove Paul's. Honestly, I don't think He will remove my friend's thorn either nor mine. So where does that leave us?

We all have secrets, we all have a past and it's littered with things we wish we'd never done and could change. The degree of those mistakes is what separates us, regardless of Christian or not because this side of heaven there are some things that are worse than others. In God's eyes sin is sin, I get that and I absolutely believe that...but to people it's not that black and white. To people some things are just harder to accept, to forgive.

My friend's secret...it's a big one for sure. One that not just anybody can handle or accept or forgive and we both fear that if people at large found out they would not see my friend as a person but as the sin. Boy do I know that fear...I have things I have shared with people that I worry about that happening and I have things that I rarely share because of that very thing.

When do you tell someone your secret? What if you tell and then for whatever reason things between you end and now you have this person knowing your secret walking around with it..will they tell others? But what if you live in fear of telling, not giving others the chance to love you unconditionally, and you never let anyone fully in? This whole secret thing can be hard sometimes.

All I know is this...when someone trusts you enough to share a secret with you, be honored and realize the moment for what it is. Remember this...we are NOT our secrets, they are just a part of our life story and when we start believing that...THAT is when change will happen!!

till next time...