Don't Try This Aloneنموونە

My life verse, 2 Corinthians 12:9, has been a wakeup call toward vulnerability I didn’t know I needed. The apostle Paul wrote that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. To God Himself, our real power and strength are found in our ability to embrace vulnerability, to be weak and honest about it. And the first step to this is being willing to be honest with ourselves. We have to acknowledge the truth of the pain in our stories instead of numbing it, sweeping it under a rug, and hiding our stories. I know it’s uncomfortable, I know it makes you feel weak (and not in the good way that invites God’s power in), but it’s so necessary. Once we are honest about the pain in our stories with ourselves, then we will be able to be honest with God.

Typically, when we try to handle our pain without God it becomes big enough to consume us. But when we get to a place where we can be honest with God, we begin to flex a muscle like we’re at the gym (one of my favorite places to be). After my second divorce, I’d gotten such bad anxiety that I wasn’t eating or sleeping well, and I became really weak. I wasn’t able to carry my one-year-old son up the stairs without running out of breath and taking breaks, lots of breaks. When he wanted me to rock him to sleep, I couldn’t stand. I had to sit and rock him in a chair.

I started to strengthen my body by going to the gym—and I went especially hard on arm days. Now? I’m able to do a push-up with my ten-year-old daughter on my back and I can hold my boy for way longer periods at a time. My consistency at the gym helped me to become stronger to care for the people that I care most about. Your consistency at being open and honest, practicing vulnerability, will help you become stronger to care for the fragile parts of your story. Meet with God consistently. Show up and give Him your honesty.

God has a plan to bring you back to His goodness.

How do I know? I know because I have witnessed it.

Prayer

Father, I don’t want to try to hide my pain from You anymore, and I need to experience Your goodness. Please be with me as I seek to consistently and honestly meet with You. Amen.