When It’s Hard to Let Your Guard Down
Book launches are a whirlwind of hashtags and giveaways! It’s crazy what our culture has come to.
No longer do we call each other on the phone and chat about what happened last week. Now we see it in real time.
It’s amazing, yet I think we lose something special in the process. We lose that personal connection of hearing each other’s voice. We lose the anticipation of waiting for a phone call or looking at pictures together in an album.
Now with the click of a mouse I see what you are up to and you see what I’m up to. Yet, these images are often filtered and guarded. I keep what I want and I show what I want. And you do the same.
Somehow we must stop filtering our lives through a lens of perfection and pinterest and start being real with one another.
Reality gives us a chance to grieve our losses, to mourn our pain, to process our feelings and move beyond what has happened to us.
Our culture calls us to always be on point. To have it all together. To get our homes looking like a Joanna Gaines dream home and our children performing in every area of life.
Let’s strip away the facade of farmhouse kitchens, and Bible study photos. Let’s be us. Let’s be real.
I don’t mean we air out our dirty laundry for all to see and stop taking pictures of our home updates and Bible time, but I mean when our laundry stinks, we ask for help rather than parade in pride.
We can’t ever be a generation that is healed and helped until we let down our guard and realize we need more than nice homes and organized closets. Pictures of our Bibles won’t transform lives, but living the message will.
Life is so much more than photos and hashtags.
As I sit here in my messy kitchen and I think about you, I know there is something in your life that hurts sometimes.
We all have that.
So rather than pretend it away, let’s embrace reality together.
Today let’s join hands and pray for each other. Share your request in the comments or send me a message.
Everyone who lets their guard down today will be entered in a drawing to win a free copy of Anchored In and a surprise gift from me!
Let’s pray for each other.
How can you pray for me? Pray that God would give me wisdom on this journey. Pray that I would listen and obey His voice. And pray that I will always be willing to let my guard down and face reality even when it’s hard.
Love & Blessings,
Page with Comments
Comments are closed.
Recognizing more and more my hero complex, especially in the day to day things that I can do myself. But it’s when those things go awry or undone that guilt and shame appear. “Why am I not good enough to get x,y, and z done before my husband comes home? Ugh, I’m a failure.” Wrong! I have been diving deep these last weeks on who I am as a child of God. And while my perspective is shifting to where it needs to be, Satan resurrects those habitual feelings at just the right times to derail my thinking and emotions. Please pray that I cling to who I am in Christ and properly place Him as the hero of His story being played out in my life.
Prayers! OH Emily, I’m with you! Literally had this same struggle this week. One of my girls even asked me what I do all day!!! What!? I’m learning I have to lower my expectations. Not that I don’t want to get things done, and not that I won’t do my best, but I have to truly rest in the grace God offers me each day and rely on His strength. In doing that, I gain a new perspective and strength that is much stronger even on my weakest days. I don’t get this right every day. I blow it often…but aren’t we all a work in progress? Hugs, sister! Hang in there. God is the hero. Let’s let Him be this week.
I think the devil is pushing my button of loneliness in a new way. He likes to make me feel like relationships are one sided and get me to focus on times when people have stood me up recently. I think this is a distraction technique he uses that really works. I feel like God could be doing something big and the devil doesn’t want whatever it is to happen. I’m on worship team today and I don’t want these feelings and lies I’m believing to hinder me from leading Gods people to the throne room of heaven. Please pray that the my heart is prepared to worship and that I leave this garbage at home. Thank you.
Isn’t it crazy how just when we are taking steps of obedience to God, that the devil does hard work to distract us? I pray God clears the way for you! And that God’s will be done in an through you! God is doing something in each of us and it’s so wise of you to sense the combat of the enemy. Trust God fully – He will fight for you!
Great message Micah! We do filter our lives in so many ways. My Facebook and instagram feed show cute pictures of my little ones. What they don’t show is the anxiety and overwhelming feelings I deal with each day. Oh, and I never snap pictures of the exhaustion that comes with small children. I have to rest in the Lord and remember to always turn to Him! Thank you for the message.
Oh girl, I’m right there with you! exhausted on so many levels yet looking all cute online. Let’s just agree to be friends who can say, “I’m tired.” Hugs!
Pray for Orlando FL that’s where I am at.pray also I get a job and we can get place to live living with friends now.i would like this book it on my wish list for once I get a job.be blessed
I’m so sorry for the storms you experiencing! Already praying!
Love this, Micah! The balance between showing only our shiny perfection and not airing all our dirty laundry can be tricky! My prayer request: to straddle that line with grace and gratitude, always remembering that Christ is there by my side to catch me when I fall!
Love that Allison – grace and gratitude! Don’t we all need more of that! I’m praying for you right now!
I have come across as “supermom” to many and more and more, I try to be open about my own struggles and where I feel I fail as a mom on a daily basis. I am far from perfect and have my fair share of struggles just like every other mom. More and more, I let my friends know when I’ve screwed up. When I’ve yelled or snapped at my kids. When I am run down and just barely getting the basic things done, I tell them I’m exhausted and doing the best I can. I’ve stopped going to great lengths to make my house appear to be spotless when people come over. I want people to see my lived in house in hopes that they will feel more comfortable and realize that I truly don’t have it all together. I want those deep friendships where we can be real and let our guard down and lean on each other for support in the areas we struggle and I want to be that person for others as well. My prayer is for more patience, to slow down and enjoy the little moments with my children and not worry so much about the never ending to do list. I want to be real and be a person others can let their guard down around and not feel any pressure to have it all together in front of me. I want to enjoy my 4 little people (1, 5, 8 and 10) before they are too busy to spend time with their mom and family.
The time goes by so fast. I’m in a similar stage of mothering as you and I am right there with you. We’ve got to be able to be real with each other. There’s too much pressure for perfection, it’s unhealthy. Linking arms with you today! Hang in there, Jen and keep being real.
I am in excruciating pain from a hairline fracture in my left shoulder.
Oh no, Beverly! I’m so sorry! Praying right now!
Thank you for writing something that is always lingering inside of me. This is part of a message on my heart to share with others and I am writing a book s-l-o-w-l-y on it but have no clue on God’s timing. It talks about being able to be real versus feeling pressured inside.
I do agree that in today’s picturesque world we need to be reminded we are loved for who we are not what we have or how many places we travel etc.
Thank you so much for sharing this, and for being faithful to write the message God placed within you. I am praying for you that you follow God’s voice through out this whole process, friend.
I hope women will be blessed by your book, Micah. I know they will, and can’t wait to get my copy.
Thank you so much, Meghan for your reassuring words! You encouraged me today!
Oh my goodness, Micah! My house is a mess (hate to vacuum and haven’t done it since April!), need I say more? We have 7 acres to care for and all the lawn machinery seems to be on the fritz! It looks like the place has been abandoned! My husband had stage 4 lung cancer and passed away in April (Praise the Lord for the ultimate healing that took place at that time!). I do not have the heart to do things any more. I know that all this is so temporary, so why bother? Come to think of it, I have been letting the evil one tell me those things, because God has given me the blessings of a nice homestead to care for and I just need to be like Jesus and say, GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN!!!! I need to be real when people ask me how I am doing, tell them I need help with x, y and z!
Thank you for your words. I experience this all the time from friends and family! It is because we are a people of being so busy. God is the best communicator through His Word in my quite time. God bless you!
I love that – “God is the best communicator through His Word.”
Truly there is a portion of connection missing when we do all interactions through our electronics. In recent months I have appreciated more my church family and the fellowship I enjoy with them on a regular basis. I’m thankful to God for the body of believers I am privileged to be a part of.
As for my prayer request, I am going through a study of God’s attributes. Pray that I will focus on them, notice them throughout the day, and keep them in the forefront of my mind .
This is such a wonderful blog today. I am so guilty of not letting anyone in and being independent. But you are right……..we can’t help each other or ourselves if we don’t admit we (and things) are perfect. Thank you for your precious words today inspired by our precious Lord! Love ya, Micah Maddox!!
Love you, Deanna!
I meant admit we and things AREN’T PERFECT! :)
Great message of encouragement and reality! Lately, I find myself craving more authentic friendships rather than just a “like” on social media but the desire to actually hang out for coffee or go on a walk or whatever it may be. So instead I’ve been making it a point to be more social off social media and connecting with other ladies….I’ve also made it a point to meditate on Galatians 1:10 and remember that it’s really only Gods approval I need or want
Those face to face relationships are so needed. Keep spending time with others and connecting heart to heart. Hugs!
Hi! I am dealing with a lot of disappointments in my life. I also try to be a supermom but I realize that I am not because sometimes I fail in some areas. Also, I want that everything in my home be clean in order and when I can’t reach the goal I frustrated and begin to blame me even to my husband. Please help me in prayers to be more happy or more thankful and that I can be obedient to God, and praise Him more and let Him to take control of all situations and give me Wisdom to do the right things, to talk or speak encouragement and to love. love. love… Thanks for sharing the Word with us.
Prayers for you today! Take a deep breath! The house can wait, and the to-do list can wait. Love on the people in your life. Hugs!
My mother, in her mid-70’s and disable, carries a root of bitterness from which she not only lashes out still about past situations and hurts but continually expresses disappointment in life now and criticizes and negatively speaks of how her 3 daughters and her grandchildren interact with her (or lack doing so). I am working through my part w/ an excellent Christian counselor but face finding a balance with her that I can live with – help her and show her Christ’s love while not letting poison in and perpetuating such thoughts and behaviors as I get older. I’m praying for her provision, peace, and well-being.
Prayers for you, Shauna!
Thank you.
I ask for prayer for my marriage. We have had many disappointments and made many mistakes both long ago and more recently. The devil has a HOLD on my husband from mistakes I made over 24 years ago that he refuses to let go and he has a HOLD on me for my husband’s more recent mistakes that sometimes overwhelms me with uneasiness and insecurity. I pray that if there is a decision to be made about our future that only he and I are involved and no other external person. Both of us have so much anger and distrust towards each other that it makes us hard to let our guard down. Sometimes I just wish I would get so strong that I do not care but I am not sure that this is the right hope.
Please pray that we would both be still in this difficult time.
I’m so sorry for what you and your husband are going through. Praying for both of you today!