Secrets when revealed can be wonderful surprises, like finding out my first grandchild was on the way or walking into a surprise party planned by friends.
But other secrets are cloaked in pain and hidden away, just like the secrets concealed in an old safe in Nobody’s Safe, the second book in the Mysteries of Silver Peak series.
Our heroine, Sadie Speers, works hard to uncover the truth hidden behind a wall in an old opera house, but her journey made me think about how many of us bury painful secrets in our hearts that need to be brought into the light.
As a child, I was unhappy when my parents divorced. My brother and I lived with my mother, who suffered from depression and anxiety. There was no one in my life to talk to about the insecurity I felt on an almost daily basis.
I learned to hide the pain, pushing it behind a door inside my heart where I wouldn’t have to face it. This trait followed me throughout my life until one day, during a difficult situation at my church, that door burst open.
God was faithful and walked me through a very dark valley until I was able to see the light again. From this painful experience, I learned that we’re not equipped to carry our burdens alone, that our secret wounds will only keep us in bondage.
This is why Jesus tells us to cast our burdens on Him–to trade our sorrow for His joy.
The person who tried to conceal a painful past in Nobody’s Safe never found the courage to seek the light of God’s love and forgiveness. He lived in the dark, just like the items he placed inside that old safe.
One of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” What a great promise!
My prayer is that you will find the courage to trust God with your secrets so that nothing will hold you back from the wonderful future He has planned for you.
