Stained Glass Masquerade
Casting Crowns Lyrics

Is there anyone that fails?
Are there other people who struggle and make mistakes in life like I do?

Is there anyone that falls?
Are there other people who stumble and fail in their faith journey like I do?

Am I the only one in church today, feeling so small?
Do other people in the church also feel inadequate or insignificant at times, or am I the only one?

Cause when I take a look around
When I observe the people around me

Everybody seems so strong
Everyone appears confident, composed, and devout

I know they'll soon discover
I fear they'll soon realize

That I don't belong
That I don't fit in or measure up to their standards

So I tuck it all away
So I suppress my doubts, fears, and imperfections

Like everything's OK
As if everything is going well and I'm at peace with everything

If I make em all believe it
If I convince others to believe that everything is fine with me

Maybe I'll believe it too
Perhaps I can also convince myself that everything is okay and that I'm not inadequate

So with a painted grin
With a smile that doesn't truly reflect my inner state

I'll play the part again
I'll pretend to be the perfect Christian to avoid judgment or rejection

So everyone will see me
So that everyone will notice me and think of me as a perfect Christian

The way that I see them
Just like I see other Christians who appear perfect and flawless

Are we happy plastic people
Are we Christians who put on a fake facade and hide behind a false reality

Under shiny plastic steeples
Under the roof of the churches we go to that may be more of a façade than actually spiritually uplifting

With walls around our weakness
We build structures to shield ourselves from the vulnerability that naturally comes with admitting and being open about our weaknesses

And smiles that hide our pain
And we smile to cover up our inner pain or doubt

But the invitations open
But there is still an invitation to come together, and to drop the façade to be our true selves with each other and with God

To every heart that's been broken
To everyone who has been shattered, brought low, or lost hope

Maybe then we close the curtain
Perhaps then we can close the curtain on our façade

On our stained glass masquerade
On our artful disguise of who we really are inside

Are there any hands raised?
Are there anyone willing to be honest, to admit that they need help, to open themselves to God and others in a show of genuine faith?

Am I the only one who's traded
Am I the only one who switched from feeling connected to God on the altar to valuing the performance on stage?

In the altar for a stage?
In other words, did I trade an authentic relationship with God for the performed spiritual high that can been seen on stage?

The performance is convincing
The ability to act as though we are the perfect Christian is quite advanced

And we know every line in my heart
We know how to suppress our true feelings and replace them with lines we think others want to hear

Only when no one is watching can we really fall apart
Only when no one else is around are we able to let go, to cry, to really express how we feel about our flaws, believing that we will never be enough

But would it set me free
However, if I were to speak about these feelings, would it actually make me feel liberated?

If I dared to let you see
If I were to challenge myself and state my truth to you

The truth behind the person
The real emotions and suffering behind the perfect facade

You imagine me to be
The 'happily ever after' version of me that you picture

Or would your eyes be opened
Or would the masks in your own life fall apart too?

Or would you walk away
Choosing helplessness in the process?

Would the love of Jesus
Would Jesus' love validate my admission of vulnerability?

Be enough to make you stay?
Would enough trust and salvation make this mutual vulnerability call become fruitful for all?

If the invitations open
If we open ourselves up too

To every heart that has been broken
The vulnerable and honest hearts that were once behind the perfect masks

Maybe then we close the curtain
Then we have something to be proud of & hide beyond the curtains in.

On our stained glass masquerade
On the façades we construct to further our survival and to be misled by happiness.