honestly, Jean

A wise man (Peter Adam, principal of Ridley Theological College, not the Dalai Lama) once told me that he often looked at his 300 strong congregation at St. Judes, Carlton, and reflected that every married couple in the congregation was thinking exactly the same thing: that every other married couple in the congregation was happier/less argumentative/more godly/better looking than them (well, actually he didn't say better looking, I made that part up).

And isn't that how it works? We have a heated argument in the car on the way to church, but when we get there, we sit outwardly serene and smiling, presenting a united and apparently loving front to the people around us. Or we lead a Bible study on the importance of daily prayer, while failing to mention the fact that we have been struggling with depression, and have found it hard to pray at all during the last 3 months.

Meanwhile, we wonder whether our marriages are going to make it, or whether we are going to make it, since every one else seems to have it so much more together than we do.

It's terribly discouraging to think that you're the only one who struggles with certain feelings, or gives in to certain temptations. How many of us have thought "I can't really be a Christian. I do..."? But what do we really have to hide from each other? We all struggle, sorrow, and fail. We are all broken people in need of God's comfort. We are all sinners in need of God's grace.

Which is a long-winded way of explaining why I have called my blog "in all honesty". I want to be honest about how tough it can get, and how sinful I can be, my readers (all 2 of you, and I know you pretty well, so it shouldn't be that hard...)