Holiness Happens When We Stop Hiding
I was twenty-four, running through a park near Waynoka Avenue in Memphis. Mile two, maybe three. The cold air burned my lungs. And then a thought hit me so hard I stopped, mid-stride. I put my hands on my knees, my hot breath forming clouds against the chilly, winter morning. "You're not trying to honor God. You're collecting bargaining chips so God owes you." The shock of self-awareness took the wind out of me. I'd been treating holiness like a transaction that would force God to say "Yes" to my prayers. I stood there in that park, exhausted, and alone.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-25
Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will do it. Brothers and sisters, pray for us also.
Paul wrote this letter to a young church anxious and afraid of persecution. When following Jesus it's costly, people tend to give up on God and pull back from each other. How did Paul encourage them to stay faithful? Instead of isolation and exhaustion, he invited them to experience grace together. It's a disruptive starting point, "may the God of peace himself sanctify you." Holiness isn't something we manufacture to impress God. Instead, the God who is at peace—who is whole—is making us holy. Our world preaches self-acceptance, but Paul reveals we are God-accepted. Instead of trying to convince ourselves we are "okay," we are invited to believe what God says is true about us. God doesn't just restore our "spiritual" pieces. He heals our bodies and our souls, our minds and our hearts, making our fragmented lives whole again. Nor does God restore us alone. It's a surprise to our individualistic ears, but the Thessalonians knew the 'you' in the text is plural. In the American South, we'd translate this as "y'all." God restores us together. We're brothers and sisters who pray for each other, care for one another, and encourage each other to receive the grace of God. When we look at how Paul describes holiness, it should remind us of Jesus. He didn't manage multiple versions of himself. Instead, he lived in complete dependence upon God in the company of friends. Jesus was holy, so his life demonstrated holiness. When we start with shame and isolation, the attempt to be holy is exhausting. But holiness happens when we stop hiding. Paul is sharing with his friends, "God has made you holy, so we can finally live with integrity." It's the opposite of "Get it together so you can earn something from God and impress each other." God is restoring us to wholeness and holiness together: "He who calls y'all is faithful, he will do it."
Reflection Questions
When you imagine letting someone see the unedited you, what do you feel? Relief? Terror? Both?
When have you experienced being fully known by a friend, including your weaknesses? What did that feel like? If you haven't, what makes that feel risky?
If there's a part of your life you've been hiding from people you trust, what are you protecting? (And if church has been a place where it isn't safe to struggle, this question is for you especially.)
One Thing to Try
Text one friend right now: "Can I tell you something I've never said out loud about my faith?" You don't have to send the secret today. Just ask for permission to be honest.