Why is Deny-ville such a “happy” place?  As a former very “happy” resident of Deny-ville I’m wondering what it took me to move out from this place.  When I was living in Deny-ville I was so blinded, didn’t want to hear anything about my weaknesses.  I had an answer for everything that was thrown at me.  I would sometimes even agree with something but quickly follow it up with a BUT or YES but or IF this or that.  Sounding familiar? Deny-ville is a blissful place I thought, nothing can harm me here.  What I don’t want or agree with I just disregard and carry on like I heard or saw nothing.  So much so that even the warnings from my Pastors I didn’t hear or take to heart.  I always had an excuse and could VERY easily justify why I didn’t hear or do as I was suppose to. Oh and don’t forget the acting like you hearing something for the first time. I can laugh now about it, it was so bad really…….my way to cope in life had taught me some very bad habits and closed up my hearing and blinded me to much of reality about who I was.

 

I know it isn’t easy to hear or see things about ourselves that isn’t quite as we thought.  Believe me I was there (and in some areas in my life I suppose I could still be there).  We don’t like it when people hold up a mirror for us to see who and what we have become; Shaped by a world full of imperfect people with problems of their own. We like to keep reflecting the “perfect” because God forbid someone thinks we are LESS THAN…….  What rubbish! If only we realize the release, the freedom that comes from dealing with out hang-ups, we will move out of Deny-ville so fast, but we don’t want to…….We don’t want to be seen as less that perfect or people with deep dark secrets.  But it is in sharing the imperfect that people start relating to us and know that it is ok to not be so perfect……..

 

It was in the instances that I shared my deep struggles that people came up to me and told me that it meant so much to them to hear and know that they are normal.  People take it from someone who very happily lived in Deny-ville for most of her life, that place suck.  Is it easy to look at your imperfections and deep dark secrets, NO, but is it worth it to deal with it and become FREE, ABSOLUTLY!  Trust God, trust your leadership, trust your pastors and get moving out of that place of denial, it is not a healthy place and dealing with your issues is not as hard when you have people along side you that really care about you and want the best for you.

 

Jer 29:11 – “God has plans to prosper you and NOT to harm you, to give you a hope and a future” – WHAT more can we ask from our God!