Whenever we see the caption “I woke up looking like this,” it usually denotes perfection. For women, it may be a perfectly made-up face, or, for men, it may be the way they dress – perhaps a nice suit….and being well-groomed.
Can I bring you into truth and reality? None of us wakes up looking like the image of perfection. We have to labor, in some way, to look like some of the pictures that we view and wish we woke up looking like.
There were times I would “beat up” myself because I felt I could not do anything or say anything right. At times, I would think, what is wrong with me? I would feel so disconnected and far removed from the very things I pursued.
I did not, in any way, feel that life would become perfect when I started walking with the Lord, but I also did not think I would have encountered so many challenges. I felt every day I would wake up similar to those people in the “happy movies” despite their reality, at times, being less than desirable, were still upbeat; it was not to be my reality as this was the time I felt most challenged. I thought I knew myself but found out I was questioning myself more than ever.
I know many new believers find themselves in a position where they may question their choice to follow Jesus Christ. You never knew it would be a difficult journey, and that is understandable thinking. You probably felt life would get better here on out – somewhat giving you the ability to say, “I woke up looking like this.” I encourage you to labor over God’s word. Find a few people who can support you and guide you and encourage you. Remember that you enter into a war for your soul – sound cliché and silly, but it is the truth. You are no longer in the world, and so there is a fight to get you back to the place you decided through Christ to separate yourself from.
And so the real journey begins, but, very soon, having endured, you will understand that it only takes a decision to say, “I woke up looking like this”. And your ability to say “I woke up looking like this,” will not be because of worldly things such as makeup or the right outfit, but because you have discovered how to have constant joy despite what is going on around you. You understand that you are in the world but not of the world.
Hebrews 11:39-40
“And these men of faith, though they trusted God and won his approval, none of them received all that God had promised them; for God wanted them to wait and share the even better rewards that were prepared for us.”
I realize that this journey goes “against the grain” of anything that I was previously a part of, hence the reason I would not get it right immediately. And also the reason I will make mistakes until I do get life right, and the reason I will not be able to say “I woke up looking like this,” or at least not right away. And this will be your story too.
We must double our efforts to do what we need to, to say, “I woke up looking like this”.
ps: I am now saying, “I woke up looking like this.”
