We all have different sides of who we are. And while some parts are clearly seen and out in the open, other parts often remain hidden, even from ourselves. Much of the work of maturity is rediscovering our hidden self – bringing it out of the closet and into our daily lives as best as we can.
Many times shame and embarrassment causes us to hide parts of who we are. Particularly in childhood, we’re very likely to bury deep any desires or interests that don’t fit the expectations of those around us.
And to be fair, much of this is simply social learning – learning from others those things that are acceptable or not within our community. But unfortunately, this often comes with the consequence of missing unique ways God has crafted us.
At other times, it’s fear that holds us back. And here we might not even give ourselves permission to dream certain dreams when we’re uncertain of the outcome. The result is the same either way – significant parts of who we are remain out of sight and out of mind from our daily life.
And to be sure, these hidden parts might be a nonissue for many years.
But just because something is hidden doesn’t mean it does not still have a powerful influence in our life.
In fact, our seasons of anxiety and depression might be pointing to these forgotten parts of who we are. We sense something in life is off, but we can’t quite put our finger on it.
Likewise, seemingly random outbursts of anger or lapses in moral judgment might also suggest deeper movements of our heart have been neglected.
Taking the time to explore beneath the waterline of our souls and discover these hidden parts allows us to find many hidden treasures of delight God has given us to enjoy.
And we become fragmented souls when we don’t.
Courageously enter those dark and forgotten places of your soul and bring your hidden treasures into the light.
Photo by Malik Earnest on Unsplash
