UNFILTERED
Tonight, Alan picked up his guitar and sang:
Come to the Father, though your gift is small.
Broken hearts broken lives, He will take them all.
The power of the Word, The power of His blood.
Everything was done, So you would come.
This song reflects the atmosphere for BeInReach Ministry because we don’t want people to think that they need to put on some ‘Christian filter’ here. You are invited to come no matter who you are, where you are, and what is going on in your life.
We are all familiar with filters installed on our phone cameras and Zoom apps that automatically touch up physical imperfections to make us look great on-screen. We also know that filtered images are fake, yet we spontaneously fabricate images of ourselves to fit society’s idea of success, happiness, and a good life. In other words, we do our best to fit in.
But we are convinced that there is a God who wants to know the real unfiltered version of us: the real deal, especially when we feel weak and weary. We don’t need to be afraid of appearing vulnerable! This argument is found in the Bible, Isaiah 40:27-31.
Give yourself a break. When you are exhausted, you can rest to recharge. But when you are feeling emptied and burned-out, rest becomes less effective for your recovery to a previous functional state. To move from the state of constant wrestling to contented rest, try taking the ‘w’, ‘l’ and ‘e’ out of ‘wrestle’. Eliminating these dead-weights can keep you from drowning in declining efficiency, feeling demotivated and generally, down in the dumps. Let’s go through the dead-weights of ‘w’, ‘l’ and ‘e’.
‘W’ is the deadweight of Worries and anxieties that are counter-productive, energy-sapping and leave you less engaged.
‘L’ is the Load you bear from feeling and acting as though you are responsible for all outcomes.
‘E’ represents all Expectations and the emotional burden of embracing idealism: how things ought to be rather than what they are.
Today, you can take small steps to hand over your worries, mental and emotional load, and all unrealistic expectations to a God who cares so much that you are always on His radar. He’s always online, no filters required. As you trust Him in the process of recovering your strength and purpose, you will find a Counsellor ready to listen, a Comforter committed to carry you through, and a Friend who never grows tired of you.
