Just put on a happy face...

"They see people at church smiling all the time, so they mistakenly think all Christians are happy and have few problems. When they hurt, they think there must be something wrong with them" - "Real Life Discipleship: Building Churches That Make Disciples" - Jim Putman

Have you ever gone to the doctor before? What do you see around you? Generally people that need to be there. You rarely see someone that is healthy go to the doctor because they like him, and want to give him some money. There is usually an underlying problem or concern. Even if it's an annual physical, you go because you want to be reassured that everything is okay.

Our relationship with God should be the same way. We need to constantly remember that we have a need for God. Without Him, we would be no different than the rest of the world. We would go back to our sins and trespasses and be lost without a savior.

When Jesus came to earth, he said that he didn't come for healthy people. Healthy people don't need a doctor. He came for those who were sinners and in need of repentance. (Luke 5:30-32)

I think we, as Christians, need to realize that we aren't doing anyone a service when we don't share our struggles with each other. We need to find others who are struggling with their faith, and be transparent with them so we can pray for each other and strengthen each other.

It's even okay to share with non-Christians that we struggle, and allow them to see how God works in our lives. That is a powerful testimony.

I understand it's scary to be transparent because people can be so judgmental... sometimes. But when we understand that the important thing isn't what others think, but having a living God who expresses Himself through our lives will give hope to a hurting world.

Galatians 6:1-3 - New Living Translation

 1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.