I’m really good at being “okay.” I’m great at it, actually! Doesn’t matter where or when, I can always muster up a smile for anyone.

My best friends, however, know me very well. And so I don’t feel the need to act outside of myself when I’m not feeling like myself. When I’m unhappy, they see it in my eyes. When I’m turned off, they see it in my demeanor. When I’m agitated, they see it in my silence. My mom is especially good at reading me! I don’t have to say a word, they just feel it.

So I’m continuously amazed…not by how my closest friends have the ability to feel like something’s off with me, but by the mere fact that God already knows.

I was reading my devotional, Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence, the other day and was rocked by the words in front of me. It’s not like I haven’t heard the message before, but this time, I received it in another way! It was basically the “come as you are” message but with a twist. Do not bring “performance pressures” into your time with God, it said.

So what is performance pressure, you may ask?

Well, honestly, it’s the force you feel to be the best you, in front of an audience. When you bring it in your relationship with God, it’s putting on a show. How so? He knows who you are behind that mask. An imperfect person aiming to please Him in a way that isn’t genuine to yourself and most importantly, Him. But, you’ll never be liberated trying to love someone that you cannot be yourself with.

When you are with someone you wholly trust, you feel free to be who you are, right?

That’s what is so awesome about friendship – the fact that you don’t even have to try. Now although God is every powerful Title there is, He also wants the Title of being your friend! I know right, He’s all that and He wants to have a genuine relationship with little ol us.

Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence speaks from Jesus’ point of view and says, “When you are tense or pretension in our relationship, I feel hurt. I know the worst about you, but I also see the best in you. I long for you to trust Me enough to be fully yourself with Me. When you are real with Me, I am able to bring out the best you: the very gifts I have planted in your soul.”

Isn’t that what we say we look for in a friend?

Someone we could be real with? Someone that knows our deepest secrets, yet still loves us with depths we could never imagine? No love on earth can compare to that.

The saying “come as you are” isn’t just for people who are just getting to know Christ. Yes, it is the message that He loves all who come to Him openly and it is the message that He wants to renew and transform each and every person from who they used to be. The saying “Come as you are” is also for those of us who do know God, but tell Him things because we’re “supposed” to. It’s for all of us who try to feed Him fluff. Because we feel like that’ll make Him happy. Because we feel that’s how we’re supposed to communicate with Him.

No, stop doing what you feel you need to be doing and sit in the fact that our God already knows.

He knows what’s up. He knows every scene of our play. He knows our minds, our hearts, our soul, our thoughts. Be real with Him, even if that means staying silent and letting your heart do the talking.

So lay down your burdens, lay down your shame
All who are broken, lift up your face
Oh wanderer come home, You’re not too far
So lay down your hurt, lay down your heart
Come as you are
– Come As You Are by Crowder

“Come As You Are” tee – courtesy of Be Still Clothing Company