Truth To Wonder: conversation for christ

Do you ever find yourself ‘performing’ a version of yourself that you think will please people? Not the type of deliberate misleading of others through crafty character manipulation, but a genuine desire to help and please others that almost forces you to shift your life into a ‘performance mode.’ 

For instance, you may feel physically exhausted and mentally drained, but you’re in the presence of someone who determines your exhaustion is not justified. As a result, you shift into ‘performance mode’ so that you appear strong and resilient so that you draw others praise, rather than potential criticism. 

You may find yourself going into performance mode if you feel your job is under threat. You may have convinced yourself that if you display your very real exhaustion, frustration, illness etc to your colleagues or boss, they will consider you weak and find a way to force you out of your job role. This fear then leads you to adopt a daily performance, where you push through the struggle in hope that no one will catch on to your battle.

The examples of living in such a ‘performance mode’ are plentiful. Another one, probably one of the saddest, is when a Christian fears to speak openly of their struggles and weariness for fear of being mocked, belittled, dismissed or gossiped over. To avoid such painful situations, they go into a performance where smiles are plentiful but fake, and assurances of “I’m good”, are frequent but false. They will attend services, Bible studies, prayer groups, all with a veneer of peace worn convincingly. This done in the hope that no one will come poking at whether their performance is exactly that, a performance!

Sadly, such lives are commonplace, and indeed in many churches. As many pastors and preachers have noted, the behaviour of many Christians makes a mockery of the open, genuine, selfless love and service that we are commanded by Christ to live in. Instead, many Christians form cliques, where power and influence are held within a select few who quietly determine the direction of many lives. Others within the church/fellowship are aware of such groups, and live in a performance so as to please and not stir up these groups. Granted, sometimes such cliques form unintentionally and without malice, yet still when influence is concentrated it often becomes bitter to the taste. 

This can leave lives that orbit the cliques to feel that they have to perform a certain role or personality to find a home within the group, church, fellowship etc. Yet is this what God wants? God forbid! He doesn’t want any of His redeemed living in a ‘performance mode’, especially if it is done to please others over Him!

Firstly, such performances are fake and false, and God only communes with truth. Secondly, to live in hope of finding peace and a home with other people, betrays what Christ has done for every redeemed heart. He is our home, no other! We must remember that nobody else, no matter how vocal, influential, charismatic, bullish, etc, they are, made you! Nobody else sustains your every breath by their almighty power, mercy and grace! Nobody else gave themselves fully in purity of love on a Cross, so that you might be delivered from eternal hellfire and lifted to eternal heavenly glory! In remembering such sobering truths, we see how strongly we betray the mercy and grace of Christ Jesus, when we live to ‘perform’ to please others.

To those who are living in a near continual performance, I beg of you in the name of Christ, stop! I know firsthand how living in such a manner can consume a life. The performance can be lived for so long, you begin to believe your own lie. You have fooled others out of fear of being shunned, gossiped over, ridiculed, etc, and you have even convinced yourself to a degree. Yet you have not fooled God. He will not accept this performance as true, loving service of His glorious name. He sees you living in fear of man, and He will not be a secondary Master. He gave His only begotten Son so that all chains were smashed off of your heart and soul, so that your spirit might live in His loving grace and mercy!

To such ‘performing’ lives, put down the mask of fear you live in, and take up the cross of Christ Jesus. There He took on the shame you live in so that you should never have to live in it ever again. It is removed from you, so step forward boldly for Christ Jesus and the true Gospel! If others question you, ridicule you, murmur against you, shun you, let them. Your allegiance is to Christ Jesus alone! Such allegiance is lived in gratitude, not fear, not doubt, not performance. As a result, the fruits it yields are rich, real, resilient and remarkable. They show a life freed from fear and lived in loving service to Christ. No spite dwells within the heart, no lingering fear of others, just simple thanks unto God for your dear Saviour.

To those groups who have caused such lives to be lived in a performance, look upon yourselves and consider your own wants of living! Live in reverent fear of the Lord God and remember it is He who judges hearts, not you. Yes, we are to judge, but by His Word, not our preferences. Yes, correct others where needed, but in line with God’s Word and always in loving meekness, as your Heavenly Father does unto you. 

In closing, imagine the bond that can be enjoyed within the Church if such simple truths were lived each day! Imagine what gatherings of true believers could accomplish if all that were gathered were able to live boldly, unreservedly for Christ Jesus! Nations would be different as a result! Let us all pray that God gives the strength of faith to those frightened, ‘performing’ hearts to live unrestrained for His glory! Let us pray that God stirs up humility in the hearts of those who have stifled others, whether this has been done knowingly or unknowingly. Let us pray that God may bless the tie that binds us together in Christ Jesus. Let us live as though that prayer is already answered; for how it could not be?! For the Holy Spirit will always move swiftly to lift such good and true prayers to the ear of the Father; and the Father will always answer prayers that look to glorify His beloved Son. Amen.