The Show Must Go On

I woke up this morning with my internal jukebox playing full blast. The song? "The Show Must Go On" by Queen.

Allow me to post a couple of lines with the chorus and then you can ask yourself if you ever feel this way:

"I guess I'm learning
I must be warmer now..
I'll soon be turning round the corner now.
Outside the dawn is breaking,
But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free!

The Show must go on!
The Show must go on! Yeah!
Ooh! Inside my heart is breaking!
My make-up may be flaking!
But my smile, still, stays on!"

It seems to me that more people feel this way than we may let on. Regardless of how we feel - there are kids to raise, a job to do, a spouse to care for, a ministry to perform. The list goes on and on. The sad part in all of this is that there is a great number of church goers who are aching to be free from something.

This past Sunday I asked our church if we would rather run a showboat or a lifeboat. We can concern ourselves with how this thing called church comes off or we can spend our time, energy, and resources to rescue people. I want to command the lifeboat!

A word of encouragement for those who feel compelled to keep the smile going. If you continue to mask your pain, your problems, your sin - You Will Lose. However, the moment that you decide you aren't going to allow yourself to live in this game - YOU CAN BE SET FREE. I know that it may get messy but you cannot continue to live this way. 1 John 1:9 tells us: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." If the show MUST go on you don't have to fake it! Why not allow God to set you free?

One of the great things about PBC is that we have found a place where we can be real. There isn't a perfect person in the whole lot. This doesn't mean that we aren't willing to live disciplined lives but it also doesn't mean that we are going to cover up our junk. We are real with God and we are real with each other. There is no other way to live.

I hope that you have found a fellowship of believers where you can do the same. I hope that you have entered into relationships that allow you to be free. If you haven't then the lyrics I posted earlier will be your reality. I know there are times that we have to pick ourselves up and take care of responsibilities but it cannot become a way of life. Jesus longs to set you free.