looking.

Looking happy.

Looking like we belong.

Like we have it all together.

Looking cool. Accomplished.

Oh, the obsession with looking!

Sadly, our attempt to look a certain way

Often gets in the way of actually being that way.

So ironic, don’t you think?

Attempting to look like we belong

Make people indeed think that we belong,

And thus don’t attempt to actually invite us in.

This turns into an endless cycle of pretending,

Which quickly wears us out.

But we can’t admit the weariness or seek help

As it would project an image

Contradicting how we have looked in the past

And are still trying to look today.

But what's with looking anyway?

Why not be authentic?

Are we afraid?

Ashamed perhaps?

We may be broken, but isn't everyone?

So, why not be honest about it?

You'd think our brokenness makes us more empathetic

To others' brokenness,

But it tends to be the opposite.

It makes us want to make people earn our love.

And by this, they know,

Just like we know,

That if they are not good enough,

They won't be loved.

The saddest thing is,

All the effort to be lovable and loved

Only ends in vain.

And why wouldn't it?

If people love the version of ourselves we project,

And we project the fake version of ourselves,

The real us remains unloved.

And the cycle begins again.

We perform a little bit more

For a lot more people

Hoping to amass 'enough' love,

But it never is. Is it?

So, what can we do?

One thing is for sure

To be fully loved,

We gotta be fully known first.

All of the good,

The bad, and

The ugly parts of us.

Fully displayed and known.

Only a few people can fully know and love us.

Actually, scratch that.

Only One can, and He already does.

We don't have to pretend with Him.

We don't have to 'look' a certain way,

We just have to accept His love.

Here's the best part though

While He loves us while we're still broken,

He doesn't let us remain broken.

He holds and transforms us as we heal.

Oh, by the way, He is the Healer!

And His name is Jesus.

Will you let Him hold you while you heal?

If you thirst for real love (as do all of us),

Here's who you ought to look for: Jesus!

When you find Him, or if you've found Him

Never let go. He's the real deal!

The only One who can satisfy your longing.