This morning, I got up and got ready just like you. I got hungry just like you when I smelled some delicious food that was being prepared. I got impatient just like you when the traffic was a bit congested. I laughed just like you when I heard that funny story. I cried just like you when someone said some really nasty and negative words to me.

Notice any similarities here? It’s not rocket science to figure out this one. All you have to do is look around and see that we all face things just like each other. We deal with difficult people just like each other. We get tired and hungry just like each other. We all experience the same things, but it doesn’t feel that way when we are going through it.

Somehow we seem to believe the lie that no one else is experiencing what we are. This makes us feel all alone and isolated. Yet if we were all honest, we would find that we are more alike than what we think we are. When we keep quiet and don’t share who we really are, then it doesn’t allow others to see the truth. They are only seeing us as a masked person with a false sense of perfection.

Everyday I experience life just like you do. I have good days. I have bad days. I struggle with things and have to ask God for help. Sometimes that extra piece of pie wins out over saying no. Sometimes that extra few minutes of sleep falls prey to my lack of desire to get up and moving. Sometimes running away to the beach appears to be a great idea. There are days that God feels a million miles away from me. There are days that I have to cling to God’s promises because I can’t see or feel Him working in my life. There are days that I ask God lots of questions because I just need to have some answers. Even when He doesn’t say a word, it doesn’t keep me from asking why. There are days that I need to be encouraged because life just feels a bit much.

There’s always a risk when we’re transparent with others. They begin to see the good, the bad, and the ugly of who we really are. Even with knowing just what is at stake, we push forward and allow others a front row seat in the theater production of our life.

So the next time that little voice tries to tell you that you are out on an island all by yourself because surely no one else has passed this way before, then send it a short memo to remind it that this pity party has been cancelled. Jesus showed up and cancelled it. It’s over and done with. You’re moving on! That’s right! You’re moving on, and they’re not welcome anymore. They need to find their own party to go to!