Dear Ones,
Hope you wake to a day of openness to the Lord and to others. Al and I have an appointment this morning
and this afternoon we have friends coming over for coffee and fellowship and dessert!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
How many of us have ever been entirely honest about ourselves with another person? I mean shared those things in our lives that we’d like to forget, embarrassing moments, mistakes we have made, etc. It might be comparable to a real deep spring housecleaning where we uncover everything verses the usual weekly cleaning. I was reading about a monk, Aelred, who wrote that “a soul friend is another self to whom you can speak on equal terms, to whom you can confess your failings, to whom you can make known your progress (or lack of it!) without blushing, one to whom you can entrust all the secrets of your heart.” What a gift such a person is and worth discovering!

Perhaps we long for such a friend who won’t shame us or condemn us, but will show acceptance and mercy. To be fully known by another and accepted is the most beautiful gift we can receive from another. But we can only receive that gift if we are willing to be known, not who we want them to think we are, but who we truly are. It takes courage to admit our flaws and sins, and also receive from another honest feedback of loving truth. But when we are not known we live isolation at the core of our being. Like Dr. John Ortberg writes, “The more that is hidden, the less of myself that is able to be loved…And we can only be fully loved if we are fully known.”

What do we look for in such a friend? The first thing that comes to my mind is one who is safe: who keeps confidences and won’t share with others what I have spoken. The next thing would be someone who is discerning and I could trust to speak truth, not giving me a free pass, but telling me what I need to hear. I think it would be great if the listening person also shared struggles that they are working on to let me know they wrestle with some of the same issues I do. Knowing we both desire to grow in our faith life and our love for the Lord, and be accountable to one another would be important. The bottom line for all of us is: are we willing to disclose our real self to another and ask them to hold us accountable?

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to help you be open to a soul friend with whom you can share your true self and be accountable.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy