Speak Up, Speak Out
“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”
― George Orwell
It would seem absurd to go through a trying situation, and desire nothing good to amount from it. It would seem unfair to have learned valuable lessons, and not share them. It would seem rather unfortunate to be able to provide a lifeline of support to others, but refuse to do so. If you could experience a rewarding result from a terrible situation, wouldn't you want it? If you could teach someone from your mistakes, wouldn't you want to? If you could help to save someone from a bad decision or show them the compassion they need in order to emerge from a broken season, wouldn't you want to? Of course you would.
However, all of these beautiful things can begin by telling people what you've gone through and how Jesus has restored you. So if you keep your testimony silent because you're too afraid or embarrassed of what people will think, you're not helping anybody.You're not helping yourself, you're not helping anybody around you, and you're not glorifying what God has done for you. You see, the way to help others is often by speaking out about your own struggles and giving advice from what you've learned or experienced. When this is done, you are testifying that God is able to heal, restore, and transform. If you're too afraid to speak out and share your experience, you're limiting God's healing in your life from overflowing to others.
After talking with a bunch of young women from my church over the last month or so, there is a recurring conclusion that we could benefit more and feel more united if there was more openness between all of us. We found that when one person admitted a struggle that they thought they were the only one going through, there were several more of us who were experiencing the same thing. So not only were we able to feel safer and less alone when we spoke openly about it, but the people who had already overcome certain issues that we shared were able to give advice to the ones of us who were still trying to overcome it. We realized that we all have issues. We all have things we're not proud of, or that we're ashamed of. We've all done things that we regretted the next day or wished that we could erase. We all have glaring imperfections. However, when we all avoid talking about the things that were really going on in our lives, we find ourselves each feeling isolated, dirty, insignificant, weak, incapable, and ashamed. In keeping secrets from each other, we cut off the ability of Jesus to work not only in us, but through us. Instead of overflowing with His healing and conquering battles together, we leave people to suffer alone without the help of an honest friend.
In order to lie to others, you have to first lie to yourself. About a year ago God started laying on my heart that there were things I needed to heal from that happened in my past. I told God "absolutely not, that's over with and done and I don't want to share it with others or deal with it." I was lying to myself by reassuring myself that I could grow and be healthy while still leaving this huge wound in my heart and mind. I was lying to myself by telling myself that what had happened wasn't a big deal and it wasn't important or affecting my life. Well, you don't tell God no. Within the last few months God broke me down to the point that this was revealed, and healing has begun with the help from others that I needed. However, I had to first stop lying, confess the truth, and ask for help. I had to speak up and share my experience. Let me tell you, the reward of being obedient and growing through my past rather than trying to grow over it is incredible beyond words, and I would never go back to hiding it. And let me be honest here. The worst things I've done in my life, I've done after I accepted Christ five years ago. I knew Him, yet I still failed and fell and rebelled. Christians are not perfect. But I would rather somebody know the truth about me than run to people who aren't saved for advice. Nothing breaks my heart more than knowing that people run to the world for bad advice because they're too intimidated by the people in the church.
The people around me are frustrated because we all know that we tip-toe around each other and put on a smile, pretending that everything is fine, when there's really things that we need to talk about. My friends and I can all see that we're hiding things, but nobody knows how to confront the problem. We all realize that we can help each other more if we were transparent and lived according to the freedom given to us rather than the chains we put on ourselves. Although the solution might seem insurmountable, it actually starts off rather simply. We need to overcome shame and start trusting the people around us more. We can't be immobilized into not speaking the truth because we're afraid of people looking down on us or judging us. It will never be worth it to hide because we're afraid of condemnation. God is the only One who can condemn, and although everything is His, He refuses to condemn those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8).
Revelation 12:11 says that we overcome not only by the blood of Jesus, but by the power of our testimony. There is so much freedom in speaking up and stepping out of the lies that shame tries to hold you with. The devil wants to get us alone and fearful, because we're weaker when we stand apart. We need to step out and reach out to each other, with lips that speak bold truth. We are part of a body, and we need to support each other. I can't guarantee you that everybody will respond nicely to you. Sure, some people might look at you differently or judge you, but that isn't your problem. What I can guarantee is that there will be somebody, at least one, who feels the pressure of perfection and fear lift off of them when they hear the truth that you have to offer. That yes you fell, but oh, did Jesus lift you back up. You mess becomes your ministry if you let it.
You are not alone.
― George Orwell
It would seem absurd to go through a trying situation, and desire nothing good to amount from it. It would seem unfair to have learned valuable lessons, and not share them. It would seem rather unfortunate to be able to provide a lifeline of support to others, but refuse to do so. If you could experience a rewarding result from a terrible situation, wouldn't you want it? If you could teach someone from your mistakes, wouldn't you want to? If you could help to save someone from a bad decision or show them the compassion they need in order to emerge from a broken season, wouldn't you want to? Of course you would.
However, all of these beautiful things can begin by telling people what you've gone through and how Jesus has restored you. So if you keep your testimony silent because you're too afraid or embarrassed of what people will think, you're not helping anybody.You're not helping yourself, you're not helping anybody around you, and you're not glorifying what God has done for you. You see, the way to help others is often by speaking out about your own struggles and giving advice from what you've learned or experienced. When this is done, you are testifying that God is able to heal, restore, and transform. If you're too afraid to speak out and share your experience, you're limiting God's healing in your life from overflowing to others.
After talking with a bunch of young women from my church over the last month or so, there is a recurring conclusion that we could benefit more and feel more united if there was more openness between all of us. We found that when one person admitted a struggle that they thought they were the only one going through, there were several more of us who were experiencing the same thing. So not only were we able to feel safer and less alone when we spoke openly about it, but the people who had already overcome certain issues that we shared were able to give advice to the ones of us who were still trying to overcome it. We realized that we all have issues. We all have things we're not proud of, or that we're ashamed of. We've all done things that we regretted the next day or wished that we could erase. We all have glaring imperfections. However, when we all avoid talking about the things that were really going on in our lives, we find ourselves each feeling isolated, dirty, insignificant, weak, incapable, and ashamed. In keeping secrets from each other, we cut off the ability of Jesus to work not only in us, but through us. Instead of overflowing with His healing and conquering battles together, we leave people to suffer alone without the help of an honest friend.
In order to lie to others, you have to first lie to yourself. About a year ago God started laying on my heart that there were things I needed to heal from that happened in my past. I told God "absolutely not, that's over with and done and I don't want to share it with others or deal with it." I was lying to myself by reassuring myself that I could grow and be healthy while still leaving this huge wound in my heart and mind. I was lying to myself by telling myself that what had happened wasn't a big deal and it wasn't important or affecting my life. Well, you don't tell God no. Within the last few months God broke me down to the point that this was revealed, and healing has begun with the help from others that I needed. However, I had to first stop lying, confess the truth, and ask for help. I had to speak up and share my experience. Let me tell you, the reward of being obedient and growing through my past rather than trying to grow over it is incredible beyond words, and I would never go back to hiding it. And let me be honest here. The worst things I've done in my life, I've done after I accepted Christ five years ago. I knew Him, yet I still failed and fell and rebelled. Christians are not perfect. But I would rather somebody know the truth about me than run to people who aren't saved for advice. Nothing breaks my heart more than knowing that people run to the world for bad advice because they're too intimidated by the people in the church.
The people around me are frustrated because we all know that we tip-toe around each other and put on a smile, pretending that everything is fine, when there's really things that we need to talk about. My friends and I can all see that we're hiding things, but nobody knows how to confront the problem. We all realize that we can help each other more if we were transparent and lived according to the freedom given to us rather than the chains we put on ourselves. Although the solution might seem insurmountable, it actually starts off rather simply. We need to overcome shame and start trusting the people around us more. We can't be immobilized into not speaking the truth because we're afraid of people looking down on us or judging us. It will never be worth it to hide because we're afraid of condemnation. God is the only One who can condemn, and although everything is His, He refuses to condemn those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8).
Revelation 12:11 says that we overcome not only by the blood of Jesus, but by the power of our testimony. There is so much freedom in speaking up and stepping out of the lies that shame tries to hold you with. The devil wants to get us alone and fearful, because we're weaker when we stand apart. We need to step out and reach out to each other, with lips that speak bold truth. We are part of a body, and we need to support each other. I can't guarantee you that everybody will respond nicely to you. Sure, some people might look at you differently or judge you, but that isn't your problem. What I can guarantee is that there will be somebody, at least one, who feels the pressure of perfection and fear lift off of them when they hear the truth that you have to offer. That yes you fell, but oh, did Jesus lift you back up. You mess becomes your ministry if you let it.
You are not alone.
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