Are you wearing a mask?

Halloween has just gone and we saw all the kids in our neighbourhood running around the
streets and knocking doors wearing costumes and masks. If you noticed whilst shopping, the shops were full of party food, treats & candy, decorations, and of course, dressing-up costumes and masks. The masks were available in all shapes and sizes.

It doesn’t need to be Halloween for us to wear a mask. Have you ever found yourself in a situation or circumstances where you’ve had no other choice, but to put a mask on? I certainly have. We can, hide behind a smile, make-up, careers,clothes, possessions, performance, busyness, family your lifestyle? Guess what? I checked it out in my dictionary and a mask is any covering for part or all of the face worn for amusement, protection or
disguise. Very interesting don’t you think!!

Are you wearing a mask?

Why do people wear masks? Perhaps you are wearing a mask? We do it to pretend to be someone we’re not, to protect ourselves from hurts and disappointments or to hide our
pain. Sometimes we wear masks because we feel that the real us isn’t worth knowing or isn’t good enough. I have worn many masks at different times in my life for a variety of reasons. When I had Post Natal Depression, it was a definite mask wearing time for me. I can remember looking into my eyes in the mirror and I had no idea who was in the reflection. I had disappeared, but Istruggled every day to be the Wife, Mother, Daughter and friend everyone expected me to be. I cried myself to sleep most nights.

How about you?

In fact, at times I’ve deserved an “Oscar” for my award winning performances…. We can wear our masks for so long that sometimes we can end up forgetting the person we’re pretending not to be and forget what is really underneath. YOU. It’s often easy to wear one, even in front of your nearest and dearest without them even knowing. Are you struggling today?

For those of us who are mask wearing experts, it is extremely draining and exhausting. I know that for many of you, it can be difficult to find a safe place where we can be the real you. No matter how good your mask is or how real your performance, there is One person who knows exactly what’s going on behind it. That’s God. It’s time to take them off ladies and gentlemen. I encourage you to start being the real you today. God knows the real you because He created you, the bible says: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; yourworks are wonderful, I know that full well”. Psalms 139: 14 .

I have discovered there’s no need for masks with the Lord, as He sees straight into your heart. He knows exactly what you’re hiding and wants to take care of it, enabling us to throw our masks away.

If your mask is becoming too heavy to wear, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yokeupon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you willfind rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

YOU ARE SPECIAL, YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE WORTH IT.