Randy Hain encourages us to “get real” for the new year. How phony are you? How many different masks do you wear? You put on your career mask to please your boss and fit in. Then you put on your parent mask or your child mask. Then you put on your friend mask.

We all have to do this from time to time in different ways. That’s how society works. However, we also have to be authentic. We need courage to actually be ourselves. The problem with being ourselves is that we don’t trust who we really are. We worry that the unhappy, insecure, immature and selfish person will show his face.

So we plaster on that happy smiling face, but the smiling face is too often a grimace. We plaster it on in the morning and expect it to stay put. When we do we’re kind of like botox victims. We have a plastic face which we present to everyone.

The problem with being more real is that our dark side might show. We might reveal things we wish to keep hidden. The only answer therefore is to be transformed from the inside out. Only when we are beautiful on the inside–full of the Holy Spirit and full of Christ’s love–will we have the confidence to be totally real.

Remember the story of the Velveteen Rabbit? He only became real by being loved.

So what’s the answer? Pray More. Only in prayer will we be truly transformed.

Read Randy’s article here.