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WHAT MASK ARE YOU WEARING TODAY

Playing different roles is not inherently wrong or bad. But there are times when we play roles and, in the process, forget who we really are or begin to limit ourselves
and our goals, expecting less and less of ourselves as we become accustomed to
the "role" we're playing. And we do this to others, too: we stereotype them.
Some stereotypes aren't negative, but they almost always put people (ourselves
included) into rather small boxes. Advertising exacerbates this problem, making
us think we all should look, act, and feel a particular way when that's not who
we are or what we're like at all.

As a result of such pressure, we sometimes want to hide who we are -- hide under different masks. What do we want to hide? What about ourselves don't we like or
love? Appearance? Relationships? Believing we lack creativity? Loneliness? Not
feeling athletic? Not being adventurous? The list could go on. And if we keep
building it, we're going to label and limit ourselves even more.

Q) How can we be ourselves even though we play different roles?

A) We have to love ourselves and love others enough not to label.

Q) How do we keep our individuality instead of burying it under layers of Labels or masks we wear?

A) We have to love ourselves and others as God loves us, and see Ourselves and others through His eyes.

The masks we wear come in many different forms, from good to evil, and happy to sad. The masks we wear sometimes makes us forget who we really are. We all wear them
at one time or another, some more than others do. We wear the masks to cover up
the true us, and what we are really feeling. Inside we want to tell people what
is going on in our lives, but we fear rejection and we fear that someone will
make fun of us for what we believe and how we feel. There are different kinds of
masks we wear depending on how we feel. People may try to get you to talk about
what you are feeling but the emotional barrier keeps the true feelings inside
for no one to see. Sometimes the emotions get so built up inside that it
converts to anger. We most often put a fake smile on our faces and act like
nothing is wrong with us.They are trying to cover up and become just another
face in the crowed. Sometimes the masks we wear are of others that we want to be
like.

Sometimes we can go though life covering up so much hurt and pain, so we put on a mask that we are fine, and we go wandering about never finding the answers, we can go
through life in doubt that we are not going to make it, there is no hope, so we
put on a mask to cover up that I can take charge of my life I will find my hope
but then the hope we find is really no hope at all because it was only a
temporary fix, whether it is drugs,alcohol a man or woman to make us happy, sex,
money, the biggest of the biggest and the best of the best, we can put our hope
in our jobs to get up go to work, stay there all day all night to come home and
do it all over again the next day, wandering around asking is there more to life
than this, we can put our hope in securities that end up being insecure, those
are some of the mask that need to be laid down and thrown away.Those are the
masks Satan wants you to think you have to wear to keep a hold of you and under
his control, for our fights are not against flesh and blood but against the dark
prince, he is wicked and mean his main job is to kill, steal and destroy he
doesn't care who he keeps in control as long as he can control,if it is worry,
guilt, pain, strife, envy, lust, drugs, violence murder and ect....

An image or reflection in a mirror does exactly what the person standing in front of the mirror (the original) does. The reflection cannot do anything by itself,
ever. In order to keep ourselves from getting lost under a mask, it's helpful to
think of ourselves as the image and God as the original. As God's reflection, we
can't do anything He doesn't do. So, keeping in mind the mirror metaphor, if we
say that we are always going to act in a particular way, that we can't break old
habits, that we can't be ourselves, then we really are believing that God can't
do something or that there is a time when God is not God. In effect, we're
limiting God. Jesus reminds us that "with God all things are possible" (Mark
10:27). In reality, we cannot limit God. And as God's reflection or image, we
can do anything good. But our perception does affect our experience. So we have
to realize how creating and accepting labels alters our concept of God,
ourselves, and others. If we ever hope to succeed (at achieving a goal, at
expressing our true natures, etc.), then we need to bring into our experience
that which will expand our horizons -- a concept of God as infinite, as infinite
good, infinite Love, which is available for everyone.

Often the labels we attach to others are unfounded, racist, sexist, biased, or naïve. When we stereotype others, and then base our actions upon those labels, we are
denying ourselves the ability to learn from, enjoy, and get to know individuals
who may have some incredible ideas, emotions, and experiences to share with us.
Moreover, if our labels are wrong, we're the fools, since we've been acting upon
inaccurate information. Labels often have a paralyzing effect on others, just as
they do on us. Labels don't give others chances to grow or to be themselves.
It's hard enough to pry off our own masks, especially in high school where
there's so much peer pressure to fit in with the crowd. We don't need to make it
harder for others to take off their masks and find themselves. Rather we should
be finding what's good in others. We should be making friends and helping
others, not hurting them.

Some of these masks are beneficial for a moment in time; possibly even for a season. But others allow us to stuff our emotions. To hide out. To disguise our true
selves and ultimately cause chasms to grow between our relationships. Take a
minute or two and look yourself in the mirror and allow yourself to be real with
yourself about the masks that you are wearing? The masks of this world are so
heavy that we forget which ones we have on today maybe you are wearing two or
more, maybe you have been wearing them for so long that you forgot they were on
and you are accustomed to them being there, If that is you and you hear His
voice calling upon you today just receive His Love to lay the masks down so you
can rejoice and be Free to be you as God has created you to be. After you have
identified your masks. Ask yourself: "Is this mask beneficial or not?" Even if
you answer that it has been beneficial; check to see if it has been left on too
long.

Talk to God about the masks that you are wearing. It doesn't matter where you are in your relationship with Him. Even if it feels that you are separated by a
thousand miles; call out to Him. Admit to Him what masks you are wearing and ask
Him to help you to remove them. Satan would like nothing more than to keep us
isolated and defeated. He is the father of lies and convinces us NOT to share
our struggles. Makes us feel that we couldn't share THAT with others; what would
people think? Yet the irony is that it is in sharing some of these deep hurts,
fears, and sorrows that freedom is birthed.Be real with yourself. Go to God.
Begin to wash yourself in the Word of God and if God prompts you to share with
someone you trust; do it. *If someone shares with you - keep it confidential.
Prayerfully intercede. Encourage them along the way.*

"Anxiety in a person's heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad." Proverbs 12:25

"Therefore encourage (admonish, exhort) one another and edify (strengthen and build up) one another, just as you are doing." I Thessalonians 5:11

"Everyday I put on this mask, to hide who I really am.

A smiling face on a weeping soul, a planner without a plan.

I laugh and joke and hug and kiss but is this really me.

For who can love a locked away heart hidden from all eyes to see.

I see when people look at me they see only what’s on the surface.

A carefree life, that’s free of strife having the will, but not the purpose.

But I feel, if they look deeper still, they might find something more than they expected.

To see through my eyes, through all the lies to find a new perspective.

But I hide my true self from the world and in truth I don’t know why,

Maybe because I fear no one will weep when I’m gone or remember me when I die.