Nothing easy, breezy, or beautiful about it.
When I was about 5 years old, I learned to use makeup to cover the bruises and scars left on me at the hands of my father. I was taught at an early age to pretend that everything was okay, even if that wasn’t true. I knew never to discuss what was going on in our home to anyone. “Whatever happened at home stayed at home” is the motto I lived by and honored.
It’s a game, I convinced myself, I was working undercover to protect the secrets of my family. My mission was to make everyone believe we were the perfect family, like the Cosby’s on the Cosby Show. If I were to fail my mission, our family would be ripped apart and it would be my fault. Naturally, I did what I had to do to keep our secret safe no matter what the cost.
I became skilled at working undercover. My techniques were flawless. It was magical the way I learned to use foundation to hide the ugly truth of what was really happening to me. No one ever suspected anything.
It’s amazing how a greasy skin colored paint was the only barrier that kept my truths a secret. It was my camouflage that allowed me to blend in with the world around me. It masked my scars, my bruises, and my brokenness. It enabled my imagined sense of normalcy to continue undetected, just below the radar.
Are you living the double life of an {under}cover girl too? Hiding a terrible truth by any means necessary? Held prisoner by the dark shadows of a secret lurking just below the surface? Have you grown exhausted of this masquerade?
Come and meet my Savior.
The Bible tells us that God has indeed seen the misery of His people. He has heard them crying out. He is concerned about their suffering. So He has come down to rescue them. Exodus 3:7,8 (summarized)
Are you in need of rescuing today?
He is waiting for you to come to Him regarding your dilemma. He wants you to be free from this burden that you were never meant to carry. Your victory is only a prayer away. He is already executing a rescue mission for you. He is deliberate in His process. His plans are strategic and precise, specifically tailored to fit your needs. God does care and He is concerned about you. His love for you is without measure, beyond what you can understand. It’s time, {under}cover girl, it’s time to reveal the real you.
Let us pray…
Lord I need your help. I don’t want to be an {under}cover girl. Forgive me for covering up the truth, for lying and denying whenever the secret I carried threatened to be exposed. I trust You God no matter what may come. Even if it hurts, even if I cry, even if things don’t work out how I think they should, I trust You. I know You love me and you’ve already planned out my escape. Although this may be hard, I know You have mapped out my future and given me purpose. Therefore, what seems impossible, I will believe. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Written by Takiela Bynum
