We all have habits, struggles, weaknesses, dreams, childhood memories, unspoken needs, and longings that we keep hidden deep inside. We don’t want the world to know about some of the more painful memories we’re holding on to, or for anyone to find out about the things we’re ashamed of. And the truth is, we can’t keep any of these things a secret from God. He sees everything. ‘He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him’ (Daniel 2:22 NIV). But even when He knows our worst secrets, He still loves us and invites us into a relationship with Him. We all have a yearning for someone we can confide in, someone to trust, and God provides that safe place for us to confess our hidden thoughts and sins. But God also provides trustworthy people who we can tell some these things to, and who can help us to work through them and keep us accountable when we’re trying to improve ourselves. And we should also be aiming to be a dependable, trustworthy friend for others. We can do that by: 1) offering them a space where they can safely be vulnerable and open (take a look at Proverbs 3:29); and 2) refusing to reveal something we’re told in confidence (see Proverbs 11:13) – there are a few exceptions, such as if the person is going to harm themselves or others, so we also need to pray for wisdom to know when we can’t keep something confidential. Let’s ask God for trustworthy friends, and strive to be trustworthy people ourselves, who others know they can depend on.

What Now?

Ask God to show you if there are any areas where you might fall short of being completely dependable. Ask Him to help you work on those areas.