”Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom” Ps 51:6.
I don’t know about you but I know I’m standing in the need of a makeover. Not the kind of makeover where I re-do my outside look; but I need a makeover that works for the inside out. I need the kind of makeover can only come from God himself. Maybe you feel the same way. If so, I trust you will enjoy this series.
We were created for a purpose, a God-ordained purpose that He wants to fulfill in us. The key to finding and fulfilling that purpose lies in small steps of obedience. These small steps help set the stage for the spiritual makeover God wants to work in us. It’s on that stage of obedience that our purpose is revealed and lived out.
People sometimes identify who they are by what they do. I’m a doctor. I’m a mother. I’m a school teacher. But God wants to identify what we do by who we are in our Christian character.
And that’s the concept behind my lessons.
God’s spiritual makeover isn’t superficial. God’s makeover changes us from the inside out. His designer craftsman is the Holy Spirit residing in us and working on us. The Holy Spirit works hard to fashion us into the image of His son. Following His steps in obedience changes us little by little, from glory to glory.
How is God’s working in your life? Are you just beginning your spiritual makeover? Are you worn from the journey and need a fresh work of God in your life? Or are you just checking God out? You are not really a makeover participant. You are just seeing what God can do and if whether you want to join in. Whatever stage you’re in I can guarantee you that God has a special purpose for you.
The first stage in our spiritual makeover is: Removing the Mask.
Ps 51:6 ”Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts; and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”
In any makeup session you’re going to pick up some tips on how to enhance your natural beauty. We desire very much to present to the world an image of ourselves that is pleasing and acceptable. One of the ways we try to accomplish this through those details that are easily seen by others like makeup, hair, and clothing. Our natural inclination is to exaggerate what we think are our good points while we try to mask our flaws. In the same way spiritually, when we hide our flaws in dishonesty we are presenting an image of ourselves that is not genuine. Over time the image we present becomes our identity and we lose touch with who we are authentically.
I dreamed I went into a fellowship gathering at my church and the people were gathered together laughing and talking when I noticed that, one by one, as each person turned to look at me they were wearing plain, half masks that covered their face. As I looked at the people I realized I had on a mask, too. I reached up to slowly removed mine. Waking up I was struck with the thought that I didn’t really know these people and they didn’t really know me. Somehow we were hiding from each other behind those masks. God desires that we remove the masks so that the image we present and our authentic self are the same. When we do this God begins to work in our character to transform us.
Someone once described the psychological makeup of an individual this way: “there is a side of us that we see and other’s see, there is a side that we see but others don’t see, and there is a side that others see and we don’t see.” It is God desire to bring those sides together so that we are whole and authentic in Him. Only God’s truth in the depth of our being accomplishes this work.
We see how God uses our failures and our wrongs to reach the depths of our being with truth through the life of David. God chose David because he had a heart to trust and honor Him from his youth. David’s writings in the Psalms give us a greater understanding of his trust in God.
“They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee” Ps. 9:10.
“In the Lord put I my trust” Ps. 11:1.
“I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation” Ps. 13:5.
“I will love thee; O Lord….2. My God, my strength in whom I will trust” Ps. 18:1.
The Bible describes David as a man “after God’s own heart.” But just like all of us, David sinned. I Sam. 11:1-27 tells an awful tale of the deceitfulness and wickedness of the human heart, even the heart after God’s. David made a choice to take another man’s wife, Bathsheba, and she became pregnant. When David’s attempts to conceal his sin from her husband failed, David had her husband killed. David brought Bathsheba to the palace as his wife. Then David put on his mask and went on with his life as though he never did anything wrong. But God knew. God eventually brought David to a point of truth when he sent the prophet to point a finger in David’s face. What would David do? Would he face the fact that he was a sinner guilty of murder? Or, would he deny the truth about himself and go on with the masquerade? God had David right where he wanted him.
There are times when God brings us to a place where we see the awful truth about ourselves and we have to choose: Am I going to deny that truth and go on with the masquerade? Or, am I going to face the fact that I’ve sinned and stand guilty before God and man, realizing it’s only God’s mercy that can help me.
When we are at that place, we are right where God wants us. Because it is through our honesty with God, ourselves and others we can begin to live our Christian lives with integrity. Then the image we present won’t be wrapped up in the “plaiting of the hair, the wearing of gold, or fine apparel, but it will be [in line with] the hidden man of the heart” I Peter 3:3-4.
Join me Wednesday for the next stage in our makeover: Part 2: Renewing the Mind