A Story

“Behind every mask there is a face, and behind that a story.” (Marty Rubin)

Think about it. Do you go out into the world sporting your authentic self, or do you try to suppress the real you by painting over parts of your personality? Do you choose your “look” based on who you will see that day? When you hang out with your friends, do you laugh at jokes you don’t find funny? Do you go along with plans you don’t like or spend money you should be saving just to fit into the crowd? Do you politely speak up when something is bothering you? Are you happy to go home if you are uncomfortable with a situation?

 

At night, when you put your head to your pillow, do you feel the satisfaction of knowing that the world saw the real you that day – the you God created you to be – or do you feel as though you played a character in a show?

If you have determined that you do hide behind masks, the next logical question is, ”Why?” Are you afraid of what will happen if people see the real you in action? Will they find you boring, unintelligent, or incapable?

 

We wear masks because we are insecure about showing our authentic faces. With a mask, you can be anyone you want to be. You can make the rules. You can have the upper-hand when one mask no longer suits you (or doesn’t hide you nearly as well). You can pick a different mask.  God designed you meticulously and specifically; so, when you try to be someone you are not, you will never feel completely congruent.

 

Something will always seem out of place in your life even if you cannot put your finger on it. Come face-to-face with you – warts and all. You will succeed more when you surrender to your true self than if you keep trying to be someone God never intended you to be.

 

Be who God created you to be, and don’t be ashamed. Look people in their eyes. Speak confidently. You won’t discover all the unique qualities that make you who you are in one day so keep searching. Be completely honest with yourself about what you like and what you don’t like. Tear off the mask and be free. Take steps to let the real you shine:

1.     Start noticing your actions when you are around others. How do they compare to how you act when you’re alone? Are you making compromises to fit in to the crowd?

2.     Take note of your likes and dislikes. Even consider starting a journal. When you discover something you love, write it down. When you find something that repulses you, write it down too. Admit to it, on paper, so you are less likely to pretend to like it later.

3.     List occasions when you acted in a manner that did not feel right to you. Do you tend to put a mask on with the same people every time, or do you find that you wear a different mask to match every occasion?

4.     Be patient with yourself. If you have been hiding behind masks for years, you won’t break the habit overnight. Keep plugging along and ask God to help you become the person He designed you to be.

 “Like icebergs, people normally expose only a small part of themselves, and generally just the part they wish to show.” (Nikki)[i]

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[i]Inspired by the sermon “Daring to Remove the Mask: Unmasked” (installment two) Sunday February 16, 2020, Dave Jansen CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH.
 

 Additional source used: “Removing your Mask – Five Steps to Opening Yourself for Connection (Fear Week, Part 3)” by Heather