I’ve been in ministry for over fifty years, and I’ll tell you a secret: some of the most exhausted people I’ve ever met aren’t tired from working too hard. They are exhausted from pretending too hard.



How much of your energy this week went into hiding the "real" you? The tired you? The doubting you? The version of you that isn't sure you're doing any of this right?

If that’s you today, I want you to know something: You can stop now.

The Weight of the Mask

Hiding takes more energy than we realize. You wake up, put on the face, choose your words carefully, and edit your prayers to sound more "spiritual." By the end of the day, you're bone-tired—not from what you did, but from what you concealed.

We hide because we want connection. We’re afraid that if people saw the real us, they’d leave. So we cover up and perform. But here is the painful irony: hiding is the very thing that prevents the connection we are desperate for.

The One You Can’t Hide From

We spend all this energy hiding from people, but deep down, we are trying to hide from God. We avoid certain prayers because we’re terrified that if He gets too close, He’ll see that thing—the failure, the doubt, or the recurring sin.

But friend, look at Psalm 139:1–4. He already knows. Every thought, every word, every secret corner. He knows, and He hasn't left. That’s not a threat; it’s an invitation.

The Big Leap of Faith

The hardest leap of faith isn't believing God exists or that Jesus rose from the dead. The hardest leap

is believing that God loves you exactly as you are.

Not the version of you that has it all together. The real you. The mess. Romans 5:8 says God loved us while we were yet sinners. Not after we fixed ourselves. He looked at the wreck and said, "I want you."

Coming Into the Light

Coming into the light isn't about announcing your struggles to the world. It means you stop pretending with God. You stop the rehearsed prayers and polished words.

Walking in the light (1 John 1:7) isn't about being perfect; it's about being honest. That is where healing happens. That is where the exhaustion finally lifts.

Stop Carrying the Load Alone

If you're tired of hiding, let today be different. You don't have to wait until you're worthy. Just come.

For more resources on leading from a place of honesty and grace, visit the W. Austin Gardner Hub. You can also listen to more on this topic on the Followed by Mercy podcast.