Picture this—you’re holding a shattered lamp, your dad’s favorite one. The pieces are scattered across the floor, and your stomach drops as guilt rushes in. The first thought? “How do I hide this mess?”
Most of us have lived that moment spiritually. We sin, mess up, and instinctively want to cover it up. We think, “God’s going to be so disappointed. I’ll just clean myself up before I come back to Him.” But here’s the problem: we can never clean up the mess on our own.
The gospel turns that fearful instinct on its head. It shifts the mindset from “Oh no, I messed up—don’t tell Dad!” to “Oh no, I messed up—call Dad.”
It’s the difference between living in shame and living in grace.
Why We Hide
Hiding is humanity’s oldest coping mechanism. Adam and Eve pioneered it in the Garden of Eden after eating the forbidden fruit. Genesis 3:8 says, “They hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.”
Why did they hide? The same reasons we do today:
- Fear: They were afraid of God’s judgment.
- Shame: They were embarrassed by their nakedness (now exposed by sin).
- Guilt: They knew they had disobeyed.
Sound familiar? When we sin, our knee-jerk reaction is to retreat from God. We think if we just cover it up, manage our image, or do enough good things, He won’t notice. But hiding only deepens the shame and keeps us from the very One who can restore us.
God Is Not Afraid of Your Mess
Here’s the truth that religion gets wrong: God already knows. He sees every shattered piece of our lives. And guess what? He’s not standing there with arms crossed, waiting to yell at you.
God isn’t afraid of your mess. He’s not disappointed that you need help—He’s ready to meet you in the middle of it.
The prodigal son’s story in Luke 15 is proof of this. After squandering his inheritance and hitting rock bottom, the son had every reason to expect rejection. He rehearsed his apology, thinking he’d have to beg for forgiveness. But instead, what happened?
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).
God is that Father. When you turn to Him, He doesn’t wait for you to clean up. He runs to you with compassion.
Religion vs. The Gospel
Religion says, “You messed up. Fix it, hide it, and maybe God will accept you.”
The gospel says, “You messed up. Call Dad—He’s already running to you.”
Romans 5:8 captures this beautifully: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Notice that? While we were still sinners. Not after we cleaned up our act.
When you mess up (and you will), remember this truth: the gospel isn’t for perfect people. It’s for people with broken lamps, shattered hearts, and messy lives.
So don’t hide. Don’t let shame build a wall between you and God.
The Father Is Calling
Maybe you’ve been hiding for a while. Maybe you’re afraid to face God because you think you’ve gone too far. Let me tell you this: you haven’t.
Your Father is calling. He’s not waiting to punish you—He’s waiting to restore you.
So drop the fig leaves. Let go of the shame.
Call Dad. He’s already on the way.
Lucas Leibforth 
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