Stop the Masquerade: Unveil the Masks
“Be yourself; everyone else is taken.”
Oscar Wilde
Unveiling the Masks
By continuously covering up God’s good and perfect design, we are shouting out the message; “God, your masterpiece is not good enough.” “God. You messed up when you made me!”
As Christ followers I don’t think any of us would really believe that message; yet we subconsciously say it when we masquerade as something we were never meant to be, in order, to gain the appeal and approval of others.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
Do we really believe that we are God’s master-design; His finest work?
We are the design of perfection, created beforehand that we would walk in Christ Jesus. We contain His stamp of delight and approval.
We are lovingly marked by the signature of the greatest Artisan this world has ever known. He knows us intimately, and He calls us precious, beloved, daughter, friend, royal priest, holy and chosen.
We need to look back at the endorsement that God places upon us and not allow this world to stamp and squeeze us in its mold to find validation and approval when we already have it in the loving eyes of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We can only live with passion and purpose if we allow God to scrape, lift and peel back the layers of the masks we have been wearing.
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Psalm 139:14
The masquerade must stop!
Personal Reflection:
Think through the following questions.
- How is God speaking to your heart right now?
- How have you been portraying someone other than the one The Master Designer created?
- What would it take for you to live true to the design God made you to be?
Living with purpose and passion
“In masking your greatest potential and passion,
you steal the reflection of Christ
from the world around, you.”
Linda Jane
Different by Design
God created us to reflect His glory. When we cover up our unique differences we cover up God’s special and perfect design. There is only one you; and the world needs you to be the woman who God designed, so you can point the way to Christ.
It is God’s desire that each of us live fully out of our own potential, purpose and passions to reflect Christ to the world around us; and to be an encouragement to the body of Christ.
We veil our talents, creative skills and gifting from being used to its full potential, when we disguise our true-selves. As we live out of our God-given design we will live rich abundant lives that are free of people pleasing, posturing, and posing as something we are not. We become truth-tellers and obedient to Christ’s call for our lives.
Exhaustion, discouragement and discontentment can often set in when we continuously live as someone whom we were not made to be. A tremendous stress is placed on us when our heart longs for freedom; but we continue to hide and masquerade.
Is it possible that we cheat ourselves and others from knowing and receiving our true selves as God intended, when we hide behind our man-made disguises?
Christ calls us to freely give; but we cannot, if we are covering up what needs to be given – Ourselves!
Our masks cause us to live as if the lie is truth. In so doing we snuff out the voice of the Master who says: “You are Precious in my sight.” “You are the apple of my eye.” “You are the Beloved of God.” “I created you in my image. I gave my life for YOU!”
“Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive — the risk to be alive and express what we really are.”
Don Miguel Ruiz
Unveiling the masks
The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. He is not just coming to maim us, trip us up; but to wipe us out. He is going straight for the juggler vein. The life-giving vein.
As woman of faith, designed by God; unveiling our masks means we must know who we are in Christ. These truth messages will set us free. The belt of truth will become our weapon against the enemy who seeks to steal our joy, rob us of pleasure in ministering out of our Christ-given gifts, paralyze us with fear, cast a shroud of shame and guilt over us; and keep us from bringing God the glory He demands and deserves.
As we gain confidence in knowing who God is, we will entrust our masks to Him, to lift and peel away. Throughout this process we will begin to have renewed confidence that God is the One who validates us. God is the One who gives us worth. God is the One who will lead and guide us in the right pathways to take. God is the One who does not treat us as our sins deserve. God is the One who calls us friend, the apple of his eye, precious in His sight and His beloved daughter.
As our confidence in God grows and we change the lies into truth messages, we will find that we no longer need to pose as someone we are not. A new joy comes in, embracing who we are in Christ Jesus and enables us to minister out of who God created us to be. Different by Design!
“People cannot endorse who I am.
God gave me His stamp of approval and that is enough for me.
I am God’s Masterpiece!”
Linda Jane
Different by Design
“God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27
God created us in His image. God gave His life for each of us. God paid the highest price for us – because he knew our worth. May we praise Him as we are fearfully and wonderfully made!
“Who we are looking for is who is looking.”
Francis of Assisi
Prayer:
God, help me to hold out to the world the person you have created me to be. You have given to me passions. Help me to have the courage to let go of the masks so that I can again be that woman of passion.
May I learn to live freely in this world with no apologies of who you made me to be. You tell me there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, so help me not to cover my mistakes, hide behind a mask of guilt and shame that you never placed upon me.
You came that I might have life and experience it abundantly. When I live in hiding it is exhausting. It is living a lie before the world and it tells everyone I am ashamed of who God made me to be.
I am sorry God that I have felt shame for the woman you created me to be. Teach me how to embrace my talents, gifts and passions and hold them out for the world, so they can see Christ in me the hope of glory. In Jesus Name ~ Amen
Prayer scriptures taken from: (Romans 8:1; John 10:10; Proverbs 29:25; Genesis 1:27)
Nobody brings to your team, your ministry, your home, your church or this world the set of skills, talents or gifts you have. You are not a clone of anyone else on this earth. God designed you, just the way you are for a special purpose and for His great pleasure!
Linda Jane
Different By Design
Photography by Linda Jane Dingeldein
As no two roses are alike, we are not a clone of anyone else!
Take pleasure in being the person whom God created you to be.
May you be the fragrance of Christ to the world around you.
Photo’s taken at the Hong Kong Flowers Market.
Linda Dingeldein
After twenty-five years as a missionary, Linda Jane is now entering a new ministry role as pastor’s wife; where she will serve alongside of her husband Joel, in Warren, Pennsylvania. The calling to serve Christ remains the same, as does her endeavor to reach women with the gospel message, and to teach them to live authentically out of who God created them to be. Linda's passion is communication through the spoken and written word, photography and illustration. She loves all things cultural, creative and colorful.
