Welcome to “Athlos” a weekly blog which examines pillars of personal excellence and regularly brings together the worlds of Christian spirituality and sport.
Transparent heart
“But if we walk in the light as He himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another”-1 John 1: 7a
Transparent words
I borrowed the expression “transparent realism” from my good friend and spiritual brother Tony Gray. Over the years in doing his cricket commentary, Tony has often lauded athletes who are willing to talk openly and freely about what is going on internally. These sportspersons speak with courage and humility as they let others into a private, delicate place.
This happened recently with former Manchester United footballer, Jesse Lingard, who publicly confessed his use of alcohol as a coping mechanism. He had a lot going on, according to a BBC Sport report, ranging from helping with his mother’s depression, caring for younger siblings, and fending off verbal attacks from football fans. He was not proud of his alcohol use, yet he chose to shed light on it.
This is the transparent realism to which Tony referred. It is bringing forth your internal reality in a manner that is open for others to see. In such circumstances, the speaker puts appearances, status and reputation aside and simply says: “This is the real me.” No masks. No hiding. No image management. Just brutal honesty about the inner self.
How is your transparent realism going? Maybe you know it by another name, such as confession or walking in the light. It’s all the same. Do people know how you are really doing, or have you been putting up a brave front, pretending that all is well, when, in fact, there is a longing to talk to someone trustworthy about your struggles.
If you believe that there is no one to whom you can reveal those deeper things within, then try praying. God, as your Creator, is fully aware of all that you are going through. His care is a part of the well-known divine trilogy of omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence. You don’t have to see yourself as spiritual in order to pray. Just look up to the heavens and talk as if chatting with a friend.
Transparent life
Transparent prayer leads to a transparent life. It opens you up to streams of divine grace.
If you were inspired by this blog, please consider sharing it with one other person today. To learn more about these and other related themes that promote the cultivation of an integrated inner self, read UNBEATABLE! which is available on Amazon in print and as an e-book.
This Post Has 2 Comments
So refreshing when someone in the public eye bares their heart instead of protecting their image.
Despite the fears involved in taking that bold step, others looking on are more quick to show sympathy and support than to criticize and deride.
Something we can all learn from.
On point, Colin!