Weakness: The Land of Uncertainty
These past few days, ever since a retreat with my dear friends of IVCF, God has got me thinking about weakness. In my own life I feel like I have many weaknesses and I'm sure you can all think of one or two that drive you up the wall with frustration or despair. But it's not just that they are there, my problem is that I'm so concerned that others will think less of me if I share that I feel the need to hide my weakness.
For me I struggle with sharing deeply from within myself the things I know God wants me to say to others. I think I'm mainly afraid of their opinion of me, that I'm random, no good, crazy, or offensive. Will they like me? I think, If I ask them to take away their masks? To have deep fellowship with others means to lay our souls on the table, filled with holes, wounds, and blood. It's kind of like open heart surgery. The doctors need to get in there to fix the problem, but they have to cut you open first.
I think God desires all of us to lay ourselves on the surgery bed and say, "Okay, God, I'm here and I know this is going to be painful, but I've got to let others know so they can be healed too." Vulnerability, honesty, and authenticity is where true fellowship is found. When we lay our pride down and offer ourselves to God in humility with others watching we share our weakness and uphold each other. None of us are perfect and I think it would be helpful if people would actually give each other proof that they aren't. I am not perfect. I sin, care way too much what others think of me and desparately want to be liked. But my satisfaction, wholeness, and healing, only come from one place: Jesus.
In Jesus I can find peace. I think God wants us to open and willingly share our hearts with others because He wants to heal our wounds. He desires to create communities of reconciliation, love, and wholeness. So if you're feeling risky pray for God to give you the opportunity to share your heart today, or to listen to another and share together. We need to know that there is no heirarchy in the kingdom of God.
Peace,
Robyn
"So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters." Galations 6:9-10
For me I struggle with sharing deeply from within myself the things I know God wants me to say to others. I think I'm mainly afraid of their opinion of me, that I'm random, no good, crazy, or offensive. Will they like me? I think, If I ask them to take away their masks? To have deep fellowship with others means to lay our souls on the table, filled with holes, wounds, and blood. It's kind of like open heart surgery. The doctors need to get in there to fix the problem, but they have to cut you open first.
I think God desires all of us to lay ourselves on the surgery bed and say, "Okay, God, I'm here and I know this is going to be painful, but I've got to let others know so they can be healed too." Vulnerability, honesty, and authenticity is where true fellowship is found. When we lay our pride down and offer ourselves to God in humility with others watching we share our weakness and uphold each other. None of us are perfect and I think it would be helpful if people would actually give each other proof that they aren't. I am not perfect. I sin, care way too much what others think of me and desparately want to be liked. But my satisfaction, wholeness, and healing, only come from one place: Jesus.
In Jesus I can find peace. I think God wants us to open and willingly share our hearts with others because He wants to heal our wounds. He desires to create communities of reconciliation, love, and wholeness. So if you're feeling risky pray for God to give you the opportunity to share your heart today, or to listen to another and share together. We need to know that there is no heirarchy in the kingdom of God.
Peace,
Robyn
"So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone, especially to our Christian brothers and sisters." Galations 6:9-10
posted by Following His Lead at 6:30 PM
6 Comments:
open heart surgery! you know what that reminds me of! ;)
okay sorry. i have some taken your beautifully profound and insighful post and taken a terribly superficial turn. i tut tut at myself.
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it's so true and yet it's so part of human nature that we all have this need to be liked/loved so we feel this almost subconscious need to hide our weaknesses. i've been reading again and again lately just how important it is to show our weaknesses because people are reached through our weakness.
thanks for your honesty robyn. i think it's so true, that masks are easy to put on f'sure!
oh sweet Jesus who takes them all off.
Call me gruesome, but I can particularly identify with the needing to be cut open first to be fixed. And, the truth of the matter is...we don't always feel GOOD right afterwards. How many people feel really great right after open heart surgery? Relieved sure, but it takes a while to recover and let the wounds heal. But, better to hurt a little than to die!
That's exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks Robyn! Open heart surgery, hmm. I like it (the analogy, not the surgery...)
its my staff team silly!
ROBYN!!! I miss you SO MUCH! Thanks so much for posting that...I like the way you put that... man...those verses in Galations... tres good. Glad to read those! You rock!
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