There’s a love/hate perspective concerning secrecy. After all, it frequently drives the eating disorder behaviors which can consume our lives. I’ve been looking at the secrecy thing more lately.
I see how it can be detrimental; I’ve recently explored and written about its impact on my own family. From one generation to the next, there has always been some kind of forbidden secret, spurring subsequent behavior to cope and/or cover up its existence. The results? It’s been things like addictions, disorders and problematic relationship situations- not the desirable outcomes.
Indeed, I’ve also seen how secrecy and shame sparked and fueled my development of anorexia, bulimia, binge overeating and, oh yeah, my bad self and body image. Pretty thorough.
Winter reminds me a lot about secrecy. If you live in any winter weather climate like Minnesota, as I do, there’s the power of the secret things just under the snow. It may look peaceful, beautiful, all Currier and Ives on the surface. But the reality? Often, there’s some patches of ice lurking just underneath that beautiful white blanket. And that blanket always seem to be at its most slippery whenever you are wearing shoes with the least amount of traction on them. Yeah. So, you know what happens here.
I’m at my most graceful during these times.
And, it’s at these times, brought to mind during these snowy- and icy- winter months that I’m reminded of the powerful impact of the secret. Scripture tells us…
“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.”
Luke 12:2
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”
Luke 8:17
“But the LORD said… ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature…for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.’”
1 Samuel 16:7
That includes not only the infamous hidden winter ice, but also our secret behaviors, thoughts and motives as well.
Great news, huh?
It’s not to make us running screaming across the snowy and icy hills, however. It’s a reality check, to survey our lives. What secrets are we keeping, hiding, lying about, denying and/or struggling with? Last time I checked, with so many of my own life experiences, secrets just don’t heal the situation. But make it worse? Oh yeah! No problem there!
God already knows you; He knows ALL ABOUT you! You and I aren’t getting away with anything! Let that be a freedom, not a horror to you. It’s because of God, after all, we are alive and have the blessings we have.
“'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'”
Acts 17:28
Remembering that Truth can help us all navigate our own slippery, spiritual, secret ice situations! Don’t let your secrets get the better of you; give them to God and breathe in the Truth- through every season!
Copyright © 2013 by Sheryle Cruse
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
The Secret Ice
There’s a love/hate perspective concerning secrecy. After all, it frequently drives the eating disorder behaviors which can consume our lives. I’ve been looking at the secrecy thing more lately.
I see how it can be detrimental; I’ve recently explored and written about its impact on my own family. From one generation to the next, there has always been some kind of forbidden secret, spurring subsequent behavior to cope and/or cover up its existence. The results? It’s been things like addictions, disorders and problematic relationship situations- not the desirable outcomes.
Indeed, I’ve also seen how secrecy and shame sparked and fueled my development of anorexia, bulimia, binge overeating and, oh yeah, my bad self and body image. Pretty thorough.
Winter reminds me a lot about secrecy. If you live in any winter weather climate like Minnesota, as I do, there’s the power of the secret things just under the snow. It may look peaceful, beautiful, all Currier and Ives on the surface. But the reality? Often, there’s some patches of ice lurking just underneath that beautiful white blanket. And that blanket always seem to be at its most slippery whenever you are wearing shoes with the least amount of traction on them. Yeah. So, you know what happens here.
I’m at my most graceful during these times.
And, it’s at these times, brought to mind during these snowy- and icy- winter months that I’m reminded of the powerful impact of the secret. Scripture tells us…
“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.”
Luke 12:2
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”
Luke 8:17
“But the LORD said… ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature…for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.’”
1 Samuel 16:7
That includes not only the infamous hidden winter ice, but also our secret behaviors, thoughts and motives as well.
Great news, huh?
It’s not to make us running screaming across the snowy and icy hills, however. It’s a reality check, to survey our lives. What secrets are we keeping, hiding, lying about, denying and/or struggling with? Last time I checked, with so many of my own life experiences, secrets just don’t heal the situation. But make it worse? Oh yeah! No problem there!
God already knows you; He knows ALL ABOUT you! You and I aren’t getting away with anything! Let that be a freedom, not a horror to you. It’s because of God, after all, we are alive and have the blessings we have.
“'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'”
Acts 17:28
Remembering that Truth can help us all navigate our own slippery, spiritual, secret ice situations! Don’t let your secrets get the better of you; give them to God and breathe in the Truth- through every season!
Copyright © 2013 by Sheryle Cruse
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