Erin's Essentials: 4 Ways We Are Taught To Be Transparent

You cannot be intimate without becoming transparent. To become intimate with God, we must come before Him with our raw emotions, thoughts, concerns, and needs. The bottom line is this: Not our will...but His. We are redeemed by Him and have purpose through Him!

Taking a position of transparency brings you into a healthy relationship with God and prepares you to have better relationships with others.

Essential #1 - Don't Hide!

Transparency starts by including others.

"Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there (Matthew 26:36). "

Jesus had no fear of inclusion, He knew what He needed during His moment of distress...community. He didn't isolate. He took His closest friends with Him. There is something very comforting about having close friends with you during a difficult moment. We sometimes pull away. Maybe our situation is embarrassing. Maybe we feel that no-one will understand...that we are the only one going through it. Don't hide! Isolation is dangerous.

"God knows we are human and have pain. He wants us to be transparent with Him." – unknown

Essential #2 - Express Yourself!

You need to express your feelings.

"And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me (Matthew 26:37-38)."

In His distress, Jesus verbalized how He felt to His close friends. He was honest...transparent...not just feeling, but expressing that feeling. He also told His friends what He needed at that particular moment. People are not mind readers. They need to know what is going on inside of you and what they can do to help.

Essential #3 - Let It Go!

Cry out to God.

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me...(Matthew 26:39}."

Jesus gave us a great example of releasing emotions and control. We need to have those moments with our face down on the floor. It was complete surrender to the fact that He didn't like His situation. And that's okay. Let God know how you feel. He can take it...I assure you.

Essential #4 - Let Him Work!

"...nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will (Matthew 26:39),"

Be okay with God's will. If You won't, Lord, then we release it into You hands. We will trust You. We have complete faith in Your ways. We might not like what's happening, but God will work it out, Determine in your mind that He has it all in His hands!

In Closing

Transparency is including friends into your life and difficult situations. It is expressing your feelings and needs with God and friends. It is trust in the One who is most trustworthy and being okay with His answers and the outcome.

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