Wednesday, May 26

For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
—Colossians 3:3

We spend much of our lives trying to come out of hiding. We seek to cast aside our negative emotions, our lack of self-esteem, our failures and mistakes, our unhappiness, our painful memories, our lack of compassion and love. We peel away the layers that hide us as if we are pulling away the leaves of an artichoke. We carefully try to lay aside each leaf, but uncovering our hidden selves can be a tedious business.

We find ourselves halting our effort, at times, because we are too weary of self-reflection, or because we doubt the worth of the work. We wonder if, after all the layers have been removed, we will find that our work has been in vain. Or, that we will not like what we see. Or, that we will not want what we find to be brought out into the light of life.

The paradox is that the work of tearing away the layers that keep us in hiding is the very thing that will allow us to become hidden again—within the embrace of heaven's heart. When we are intentional about the work of uncovering the preciousness of our very selves, we actually begin to see that we are precious.

In the moment that we glance across our soul and see our value, we are suddenly free to let go of it in order to be hidden again. Only this time our hiddenness is not lost under a heavy drape of negative emotions, poor self-esteem, failures, unhappiness, or painful memories. Instead we are humbly hidden within the silken wrap of heaven's holiness.

O God, give me the courage to unwrap myself in order to be re-wrapped in your love.

These Signposts originally appeared on explorefaith in 2004.