No More Hiding.
Stepping into the open and embracing God's welcome.
The Human Tendency to Hide
Let’s talk about our tendency to hide.
When my kids were little, I remember them covering their faces, believing that because they couldn’t see me, I couldn’t see them. Typically, this happened when they were embarrassed about something or believed they were in trouble for some reason. Yet despite their best efforts and sincere belief, covering their faces did nothing to hide them from my view. This common, and in their case, cute behavior illustrates a tendency shared by all of us:
From the earliest ages, humans are prone to hide. There is a universal tendency to conceal ourselves when we feel exposed, ashamed, or vulnerable. It’s simply what we do. You and I are prone to hide from ourselves, from one another, and even from God.
This is by no means a new or modern behavior. We see the tendency to hide as far back as the Genesis story. You might remember that Adam and Eve ignored the one protective measure God had placed in their lives. As a result, they became immediately aware that they were naked. Their response was to cover themselves, hiding their nakedness from themselves and one another (Genesis 3:7). Then, in a scene that would be funny if it weren’t so tragic, they attempted to hide from God in the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:8). Sadly, humanity has been hiding ever since.
We hide from ourselves by ignoring our inner world and suppressing our feelings. We hide from others by avoiding community or projecting an image that we are someone or somewhere we are not. And we hide from God by either avoiding Him altogether or practicing spirituality in a way that is superficial and avoids truly opening ourselves to His healing presence.
God Knows You
When it comes to hiding from God, you and I are like little kids covering our faces in hopes of escaping His gaze. Despite our best attempts, there is simply no avoiding God’s sight. He sees, knows, and understands everything about us—the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Psalmist puts it like this:
Lord, you know everything there is to know about me.
You perceive every movement of my heart and soul,
and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind.
You are so intimately aware of me, Lord.
You read my heart like an open book,
and you know all the words I’m about to speak
before I even start a sentence!
You know every step I will take before my journey even begins.
You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way,
and in kindness, you follow behind me
to spare me from the harm of my past.
With your hand of love upon my life,
you impart a blessing to me.
This is just too wonderful,
deep, and incomprehensible!
Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength.
—Psalm 139:1-6 (TPT)
The point is, there is no part of you hidden from God’s sight. He sees all of you. He knows every thought, feeling, attitude, bias, judgment, and action. The writer of Hebrews puts it most succinctly: “No creature is hidden from Him…” (Hebrews 4:13). Now, that may not feel like great news. The truth is, there are huge parts of our lives we’d prefer God didn’t see. But before you cover your face in shame, remember that God’s knowledge of us produces compassion, not condemnation (Matthew 9:36; Mark 6:34).
Invited Out of Hiding
One of the clearest displays of Jesus’ heart toward our hiding comes through His invitation in Matthew 11:28-30. Jesus looked with compassion at a crowd of people weary from trying to manage their righteousness through religious practice and invited them out of hiding. He said:
Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly. (The Message)
Rather than run from Him, Jesus invites us to bring our true selves into His presence. He promises that if we will draw near to Him, He will draw near to us (James 4:8). He offers us security and true rest for our souls. Think about how much freedom this offers! Consider the difference it would make in your relationship with God if you truly experienced the freedom of being fully known and freely accepted by Him. This is the place where intimacy is formed. The question is, will we come out of hiding and step into the open?
Stepping Into the Open
Let me close by inviting you to experiment with a few spiritual practices that have most powerfully helped me step into the open with myself, with God, and with others.
Confession
Confession invites you to be honest before God about your struggles, sins, and failures. It creates a space for vulnerability and healing, allowing you to unburden your hearts and receive God’s grace. Through confession, you acknowledge your need for God’s forgiveness and healing, breaking the cycle of hiding that can keep you trapped in shame. It reminds you that you are not defined by your mistakes but by God’s unrelenting love and acceptance. Simply tell Him about the ways you’ve fallen short of His good will for your life.
Lament
Lament is your honest expression of grief, sorrow, and confusion in the presence of God. It acknowledges your pain and struggles, allowing you to confront the difficult realities of life while still turning to God for comfort and understanding. This practice validates your emotions, inviting you to share your burdens and fears with the One who cares deeply for you. By voicing your laments, you find yet another pathway to deeper intimacy with God as you remember that He walks with you through your darkest moments. Tell Him what’s causing you unrest today.
Community
One of the most powerful ways you can experience God’s love and acceptance is by opening your heart to a small and safe group of people, who will meet you with compassion, empathy, and understanding. Sharing your own struggles, joys, and stories will nurture a deeper connection, not only with them but also with God. Something about it signals to you that if those people know you and accept you, then God will accept you too. So, who in your life is God inviting you to live openly with?
God Knows You and Loves You
Steffany Gretzinger has a beautiful song called “Come Out of Hiding (Father’s Song).” It opens with the lyric, “Come out of hiding, you’re safe here with me / There’s no need to cover what I already see.” God invites you and me to drop our hands from our faces. We’re not concealing anything from Him anyway. All hiding does is hinder our experience of a healing relationship with Him. My prayer is that you hear Him whispering into your heart even now…