I was the woman full of works and empty of truth. I wanted to help and serve and support and cheer—but all the while, I was dragging around secret sins, refusing to crucify them, justifying them because “I’m doing so much good.”
The Hidden Things We Don’t Want to Talk About
For the Christian woman who wants to be holy, not just helpful
Do you have a hidden secret life of which you are ashamed?
You might be the cheerful greeter, the faithful nursery worker, the dependable church event planner. You might be the one people turn to for prayer, wisdom, and encouragement. You might be the first to sign up, the last to leave, the one who’s always willing to serve. Outwardly, you’re doing everything “right.”
But inwardly? There may be a place of darkness you dare not name. A hardness of heart. A private sin. A bitter resentment. A secret indulgence. A habit you nurture in silence. A way of thinking that stands in full rebellion against the Word of God.
I know, because that was me.
I was the woman full of works and empty of truth. I wanted to help and serve and support and cheer—but all the while, I was dragging around secret sins, refusing to crucify them, justifying them because “I’m doing so much good.” And I was terrified anyone would see. I had no joy, only performance. No peace, only pressure. I knew the words, but I wasn’t walking in the power of the Word.
The Truth About the Flesh
Then I met Paul—not in person, but in his letters. And his words burned through the layers I had so carefully constructed:
“But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully...”
—2 Corinthians 4:2 (NKJV)
Paul doesn’t say “hide the things of shame.” He says renounce them. That word means to reject, to forsake, to walk away with disgust.
He didn’t say, “Try to clean up your secret life while still being useful.”
He didn’t say, “Keep your outward witness strong while you deal privately with your inner mess.”
He said, “Renounce it.”
The gospel gives us no space to harbor darkness and pretend we’re light. It offers us something far better: full freedom through full exposure. There is no shame in confession when it’s met by the mercy of Christ. He already knows. What He’s waiting for is our surrender.
Why Do We Hide?
So many Christian women hide because they think it’s more spiritual to “move on” than to confess. We want to serve the body of Christ, but not expose our own infection. We want to be seen as wise, but we are still ruled by fleshly emotions. We want to mentor, but haven’t submitted ourselves to be sanctified. We want to encourage others, but haven’t let the Lord deal with our own bitterness, pride, lust, or jealousy.
Friend, if there is a secret sin that clings to you… if there is something you've refused to renounce… the Lord is not asking you to perform around it. He’s calling you to bring it into the light.
And the beautiful thing? Once it’s in the light, Satan has no more hold. That shame loses its grip. That secrecy loses its strength.
What Now?
Here’s the challenge: stop hiding. Be honest before God. Confess what you’ve justified. Bring into the open what you’ve managed in the dark. Don’t worry about what people will think. You don’t answer to them—you answer to the One who sees all and still invites you close.
It is not your perfect record that qualifies you for ministry. It’s your surrendered life.
It is not your clean image that reflects Christ. It’s your crucified flesh.
You can be a woman of truth, not just a woman of tasks.
Because when Christ cleanses the hidden places, your outward witness will no longer be stained by contradiction. You’ll be full of light—real light. Not pretense. Not effort. But holiness, power, and peace.
Scripture for Meditation
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
—Psalm 139:23–24
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
—1 John 1:8–9
“For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.”
—Luke 8:17
- Jacqueline, the Unimportant Homemaker
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