Strength of Vulnerability

The strength of vulnerability is a curious mixture of discovering your heart and sharing your real self, as best you can, with the people God has put in your life. You can't shut down on the inside without quelling the very passion that makes the journey worthwhile. Those walls around the heart take buckets of energy to maintain and God has better things for his children to do. When we close off our hearts, we dishonor him.

God bids us come into the vulnerable place his Son occupied where the power of his life was born out of fearless trust in his Father. God offers us a special kind of strength, one that is rooted and grounded in a reality that transcends ourselves. It is a place from which risk- and therefore, love- is actually possible.

The strength of vulnerability is the fire of a tender heart that forges steel in the soul. As difficult as it is to live with a vulnerable heart, it is far easier than camping out behind a facade. Jesus is the Lamb who conquers. He says: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light." Matthew 11:28-30 Paula Rinehart

I don't seem to have a problem sharing the stories of my life and how they have shaped me throughout but oftentimes, I choose to close certain places of my heart to protect myself from getting hurt. Sometimes this can be helpful. Other times, it is more hurtful than anything else. Discovering who I actually am in light of these stories is what frees me- through the life, death, and resurrection of the One who came to love me more dangerously than anyone ever has or ever will. I can face adversity, trust in my Savior, and know He will lead me down a path that is not necessarily easy or pain- free, but is full of passion and Great Love.