Costumes

Throughout every calendar year there are reoccurring themes and events.
For me some of the highlights are Easter and Christmas. I particularly love summer time as well, getting to spend extra time outside with my kids, swimming and enjoying some rays.
Tack onto that my families birthdays and the monthly events we do as a Church family, and I have plenty to look forward to!

Others get excited about other annual events.
In particular some are buzzing over this week because halloween has rolled around again.

Now I am not about to get into some debate with you over its merits or not. I was just thinking about it in light of what we do as people with it. The whole idea of wanting to be someone else for a night or a time.
For some they would say it is simply fun.
For others they would possibly say it is a form of escapism.
While for others it is an excuse to be someone they secretly or not so secretly wish they were.
In the end, people apply costumes to be part of this fantasy.

In all my dealings with people and their inner most challenges and turmoil at times...I have never found the applying of costumes or fantasy to be much use!
They can cover over, or seemingly shield and protect for a while.
And they can give a period of escapism from the life they are living.
But they never ultimately help us to achieve any true sense of identity and peace in my opinion.

God wants to bless you, the real you. The you that He has also dreamed and planned you can be.
I firmly believe that God finds it more effective to bless you, not the pretend or fantasy you.
Jacob was always destined to be a great man. But until He was real with God he never could get past his past. Could never truly enter into this thing we call our godly destiny.

Can I encourage you this week to be real with God and others who love you for who you are and can be?
For you maybe this is a season of not applying a costume, but actually getting rid of the costume?
A season to be healed, made whole and walking into your blessing...

Something to think about...