Hey guys,

Thanks for coming back! Today I’m writing about un-filtering our lives. With this being the social media age, we are all obsessed with the impressions that we put out of ourselves. We filter our pictures, videos, and ideals. We are getting away from the real and honest. Those who do embrace truth, are seen as vigilantes and intolerant. I just wonder what it would look like if we took the filters off, if we were honest with ourselves about everything. If we were honest about our feelings, our love, our thoughts, our doubts, our hurts, our concerns, our fears, or even our wants, how much more fulfilled would our lives be.

Back in 2014, I began a journey by which I pushed to be honest about every part of me. I looked to eliminate any lies from my reality. This is harder than it seems. It is especially much more painful, as most people prefer the lie over the truth. With this being said, I had to open myself up to the truth about my feelings, about myself, about others, and about life. I had to be open to myself about the fact that I had opinions about everything and that I was strong willed. I had to be honest about my love, and the fact that I did not really love myself. I was even honest about my thoughts and that they weren’t 100% pure. Yes, I didn’t curse out loud, but it was still a thought which is just as bad. I was even honest with my doubts. Even though God had promised me things, and some of those things were coming to pass, I was still doubtful about him fulfilling those promises. Honestly, I’m still a bit doubtful at times. I was honest about hurts from my past and some of my present situations. I was honest about my concerns for my future and that I was scared for the steps ahead. I was honest about the fact that I’m scared to love anyone or anything, at the expense that I might lose them. Although I had this fear, I had to be honest about the fact that I wanted to be a spouse and a parent one day. These honesties among others are the truths that I would have never known had I continued to hide behind the lies.

Now, this is not to negate me wearing makeup or editing my photos and videos, as I don’t mind going without those, but I’m talking about the filters that were hindering my spiritual growth. I was hiding behind Lord help me prayers, rather than dealing with the fact that I was hurting myself. I wasn’t being transparent with him about my motives for praying certain prayers and doing certain things. I now know I don’t have to filter who I am, because God sees me for me regardless of if I am honest to myself. How honest I am, though, does directly relate to the power that I give to God behind the wheel of my life. Standing in the truth allows God to remove the lies. No, honesty doesn’t feels good. If we are all honest, yes we would get the tough love more often, but we would have received it from ourselves first. Then, it doesn’t hurt as bad when it’s coming from someone else.

Being honest and taking off the facade takes guts, and it’s not an easy road. I started my journey and consciously pushing for truth two almost three years ago, and I’m still working. I am the first to say that I am not perfect, and that I still have many filters that I hide behind, but I’m not staying behind them. I am working to venture into taking the filters off of my faith, my testimony, and more of my desires. In doing this, it will be a hard journey. It is already a bit difficult as it’s stripping away some of my securities, but I’m sure it will be worth it. I want to get to a place where someone questions the promises over my life, and I refer them to the verses where God confirmed those promises to me. I want to be in a place where God can say head west, with no further direction, and I go. I want to take off the stereotypes of God and the interpretations given to him by others, and just understand him for who he is. I want to be able to be honest about the things I want, without feeling hesitation. I am working on being unfiltered with God, but also with others. Turning off the mute button, and speaking up, is the difficult part for me, but I’m still working on it. That is the whole part of my journey though.

But what about your journey? How can you become unfiltered, not only to yourself, but to God? What would you lose if you took the filter off? Most importantly, what would you gain?

Psalm 15:1-2 O LORD, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart;

Zechariah 8:16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace;