Vulnerability

As Christians we need to be vulnerable before God and with one another.  But it’s hard.  There are many barriers that get in the way and hold us back.  Some of those barriers are:

Pride – We say, “I am strong enough – I am good enough.  I have to be because I don’t want anyone to see any weakness or failure in me.”

Busyness – We think (perhaps subconsciously) that if we can just keep going, keep busy, then we won’t have to deal with ourselves or God or anyone else.  If we keep moving they won’t be able to catch up.

Distraction – Often God can’t penetrate our hearts because we never give Him the opportunity.  We’re always doing something ‘important’ but it is never the most important thing.

Doubt – Instead of opening ourselves to the Lord and trusting Him, we use doubt like a shield.

Deflection – Sometimes God’s love can’t penetrate us because we treat it as if it is for someone else rather than us.  We think: sure, God loves you and them and that person over there, but how could he love me?  We deflect His love and grace.

Avoidance – We often reason that if we can keep a safe distance from God, we won’t be able to hear His call and can therefore maintain the status quo.

Embarrassment – We think: “I can’t let Jesus get too close; I can’t feel it too much, otherwise I might do something outlandish like raise my hands while I’m singing or let an “amen” escape from my lips or find myself praying fervently and personally.  And what would people think?”

Fear – The greatest enemy of vulnerability.  “If I let down my guard, what will happen?  What changes will the Lord bring about?  What will He call me to do?  Where will He call me to go?  Will He provide?  Will He catch me if I fall?”  We’re often afraid that Jesus will wreck our ‘neat’, ‘ordered’ lives if we totally open ourselves up to Him.

And when you boil all those thing down, we find that we are afraid to be vulnerable because we are afraid of God and others.

Now if God were like the pagan gods (capricious and vindictive) we should be afraid of Him.  If He were like the god of deism (distant and aloof) we should be wary of Him.  But He is not.  God, in Jesus Christ, became vulnerable Himself.  Jesus, who was in very nature God, became nothing – taking on the very nature of a servant and becoming obedient even to death on the cross. Jesus became vulnerable for us – to identify with us and to save us.  And Jesus says to us, “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest.”  He says, “I am the Bread of Life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.”  Because Jesus became vulnerable for us, we can open ourselves to Him – to love Him and be loved by Him.

Ok. But what about people?  Vulnerability is not always safe with people – not even in the Church.  Often we are hesitant and afraid because unfortunately, church can often be infected with self-righteousness.  But the Church should be a safe place to be vulnerable, not because we have made a vulnerability rule, but because everyone in it ought to be vulnerable.  We should be open to God and honest enough with ourselves that we can be open to others.

And so, let go of pride and fear (and everything in between) and humbly trust the Lord and follow Him.