Authenticity Unveiled: Embracing the Real You Before God

Have you ever tried to be more than you are just to gain approval or acceptance? Maybe it was in a job interview where you felt the pressure to “sell” yourself - embellishing  the truth to land the position. Or perhaps it was at the gym, where you added a few extra plates, more than you could realistically lift, just to impress someone nearby. Maybe it’s in relationships where we exaggerate our confidence or downplay our flaws to appear more desirable.

Even in ministry, I’ve faced the temptation to present a version of myself that seems more “together” than I actually am. As a chaplain, I sometimes feel pressure to appear as if I’ve figured it all out: solid faith, no doubts, perfect peace. But deep down, I know that pretending doesn’t bring me closer to God; in fact, it creates distance.

In his book "(Un)Qualified," Pastor Steven Furtick shares a profound truth that God can’t bless who we pretend to be.” That hit me hard. He continues by saying that God isn’t in love with our polished, carefully curated image. He’s not drawn to our filtered, performance-based persona. God is in love with the real us. The messy, broken, unsure, sometimes weary versions of ourselves that we often try to hide.

That might be a scary thought especially when we’re used to hiding behind accomplishments, charisma, or control. I remember sitting alone in my room one afternoon following a disastrous day, staring at the mirror and questioning how God could love the person looking back at me. The shame, the flaws, the disappointments, they all felt too much. In that moment of raw honesty, something shifted.

When we slow down enough to bring our real selves to God, the parts we think are unlovable, weak, or unworthy we begin to experience the beauty of grace. That’s where transformation happens. Not in pretending, but in surrender.

This is where praise comes in. Praise redirects our focus away from ourselves and toward God. It shifts our gaze from our imperfection to His perfection. When we lift our broken, imperfect offerings to Him, He responds not with rejection, but with redemption.

It's one of the greatest mysteries of faith: He gives beauty for ashes.  Praise becomes the vehicle, and His glory becomes the prize.  And in that exchange, when we stop trying to impress, and simply come as we are, everything changes. We find purpose. We find peace. We find identity. Not in who we pretend to be, but in who we already are: deeply loved by a God who sees, knows, and chooses us.

So take off the mask. Let down the guard. Bring your real self to the One who created you. You don’t need to be more than you are because in Him, you are already enough.