How many people can you be just yourself around? Where you can show up as you are without putting something on that isn’t really who you are at the core. My guess is probably very few, if any. Now flip it around. How often do we put unfair expectations on others in our relationships and interactions with them?

We are always expecting ourselves and others to show up in “a certain way” that often is an add-on to who the person truly is.

In my experience it feels very difficult to be my true self around anyone for any amount of time. Part of this is due to self-awareness. How much of my true self am I even fully in touch with, let alone living out of regularly? Another part is my personality. I am more sensitive to how I make others feel, so that is usually front of mind in my interactions and sometimes I try to overcompensate to say something the right way or not offend.

Recently, I noticed I was doing this with myself and God. I settled into my time with him and was struck with the type of person I was trying to present myself as and the type of God I was interpreting him to be in response to my presentation of myself. It felt “constructed.” There was certainly communion and intimacy taking place, but with added layers.

I was challenged to drop the idea of both of us having to be “a certain way” in exchange for a more real interaction.

Just be God over me and in me. Be your full self. I remove all the add-ons and limitations I’ve placed on you.

As for me, I present myself fully to you. As is.

And I suppose what happened next was a taste of Genesis 2:25 – they “were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

I just existed for several moments. Allowed myself to be. Allowed God to be. And I felt deeply seen and known. Without feeling the need to do or be anything other than what I was.