In today's devotional, we're continuing our focus on honesty

by looking at how we can tear down walls we've built up in God's presence every day.

There is true life and vulnerability,

and if we can trust God to be our shield, living with openness and love towards

him, ourselves and others, will experience a greater abundance of life than we thought was possible.

Let's come before God today with courage, trust, and humility.

I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man, Acts 2416.

In order to protect our hearts from the pain and wounds of the world, we both consciously

and subconsciously build walls.

These walls take all sorts of forms.

Some walls are built for appearance, so the outwardly beauty covers up the inward brokenness.

Some walls are built to be strong and tough, so that pride and strength cover up inwardly vulnerable and self-consciousness.

Some walls are built in order to blend in, so that people pass us by altogether and never try to know us.

Whatever walls we choose to build, one thing's for certain, the walls might guard us from harm,

but they also keep us from ever experiencing true life.

Abundant life comes from being both fully known and then fully loved.

We can't experience the love of God and others if we don't allow ourselves to be known.

Can't experience God's grace and affection for us.

If we shield ourselves from Him out of fear, he will see us and reject us.

And whenever someone tries to love us fully, we will always reject their love by saying,

If you truly knew me, you wouldn't love me.

Living with walls up isn't really living.

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