Come Out of the Closet

Come out come out wherever you are!

I was thinking about the term ‘coming out of the closest’ how that is a coined phrase for the homosexual community and yet so many people are hiding what is really going on inside of their hearts and minds. So many people need to come out of the closest. I think it is the actual hiding, the fear of being ‘found out’ that is doing the most damage.

What most of you don’t know is when I was in junior high a woman who had evil intent told me if I feared being gay I would become gay. That one lie that was told to me caused me to fear something that was not even something on the radar for me to fear. That was not something I had a tendency’s toward. I used to ask my sister all the time do you think I’m gay? I feared this for many years. Fortunately I had a sister that loved me that I could talk to about this without her getting all freaked out. It was in a counseling appointment many years later that God delivered me from this lie that was from the very pit of hell.

What this brings me to, is there are certain sins people struggle with that as Christians we have put a measurement on which perpetuates the need we have to hide. Satan loves this! He wants you to think you have to hide. He loves that we think some sins are so wicked so terrible that people are afraid to let on that they struggle. This causes additional pain, hurt, and shame. That is why I say that it is the hiding that causes the most damage.

An Analogy

Its as if when we are born we all have armor. Living life damages our armor. Simply being a human causes severe dents, dings and scrapes. Then you add the fact that you live with other humans they also create dents and dings. Yes, it is true some sins cause so much damage that it penetrates through the armor straight to the heart and mind.  We all have this worn out, scraped up, dinged up, mutilated armor. At times we make decisions that cause dents, sometimes we are hit by the shrapnel of other peoples armor, sometimes we fall and then bingo there’s another dent. No one escapes this, no one!

As a Christian the difference we have is the knowledge that we can run to Jesus and He gives us brand new armor. He takes your old armor and gets rid of it. There is no such thing as recycling in Heaven. Jesus does not recycle damaged armor it is literally never seen again and remembered no more.

Lamentations 3:19-26

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.
Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seeks him;
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD

So sometimes for someone looking in, you would have a tendency to assume that that person has perfect untouched armor, that they have never experienced a dent or ding in their life but what you don’t realize is they have figured out that Jesus the Mighty One who loves never tires of them coming to Him for the exchange of old to new. Jesus never tires of this. Never. We get tired but He does not. It’s not your sin that frustrates Him so much as your unbelief that He can’t help you. I believe it is this that drives Him crazy! You may tire of your sin but Jesus doesn’t. He does however have zero tolerance for unbelief!

For those of you that are suffering from wounds that have gone beyond your armor and have hit your heart and mind you do need Jesus. He is the only one that can heal you. He is the only one I’m telling you this. Say, Jesus come rescue me show me your love that will overcome my grief.

For those of you that are in a situation that you feel you have to hide what is really going on. I pray God’s amazing grace would come and you would find yourself surrounded by people who love you and will believe God can rescue you because God continues to rescue them. Don’t allow the enemy to trick you into thinking no one will understand. I am asking you to ‘come out of the closet.’ Use wisdom in this. I pray God gives you just the right person to talk to.

For those of you that are going to be sitting with someone that is going to reveal their darkest secret I pray God’s amazing grace on you and that you will be able to listen as Jesus himself would with mercy instead of judgement. That you would also remember that you too are human, you too will continue to struggle and most of all that Jesus came to heal the broken.

This reminds me of these verses:

Proverbs 24:15,16

Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
do not plunder their dwelling place;
for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

James 5:7-19

Patient in Suffering

Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

Prayer of Faith

Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.

And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

Elijah was a human being, even as we are. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:7-11

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.