Choosing to Be Real Before God

Authenticity is something most of us struggle with, without realizing it. We learn early in life how to perform, how to act like we’re ok, and how to say we’re fine even when something is wrong inside. We learn to adjust ourselves to fit in, to be accepted, or to avoid any conflict. The truth is that we cannot heal while pretending to be someone else.

When Jesus called people to follow Him, He didn’t ask for polished or perfected lives. He didn’t wait for them to get it together. He called fishermen, the anxious, the loud, the confused, and the broken. He said, “Follow Me.” That invitation still stands today. God is not looking for the version of us we think we should be. He wants the real heart underneath all the layers.

When we hide our struggles, we also hide the places where God wants to restore and renew us. Authenticity takes courage, because not everyone will understand the healed or growing version of us. Authenticity was never about being liked. It’s about being known by the One who created us.

The world does not need the version of us that is shaped by fear or survival. It needs the person God made... the one He is restoring day by day. When we choose to be real, we create space for others to do the same. And in that space, God moves. Every time.

Jeff