In my previous post I talk being vulnerable. It’s important to point out that Jesus didn’t leave me shattered and broken and vulnerable in woundedness.
Jesus comes to heal the brokenhearted, He doesn’t leave us brokenhearted!
There’s a vast difference between being “vulnerable in woundedness” and being “vulnerable in wholeness.”
The primary reason that we’re afraid of being vulnerable is because we’re vulnerable in our woundedness. Our innate reaction to being wounded is self protection. We avoid, pull back, and otherwise stay away from things we think will hurt us. We may also pull back by lashing out! Bitterness, hatred, anger, rage and unforgiveness are all distance creating emotions. So we either pull away from or push away the people and situations we feel will hurt us.
When Jesus comes into our woundedness, He doesn’t come to build a wall of protection as we might expect. Instead, he heals us so deeply and so thoroughly of what once hurt us that we are no longer wounded and are able to be truly vulnerable again from a place of wholeness!
Jesus isn’t about building fortresses around our heart. He could do that, but where would that leave us?
Having our hearts trapped inside the walls of an impenetrable fortress is not exactly what Jesus has in mind for us!
As I said in my previous post…
Jesus never came to me after He healed me and said, “Guard your heart or you might get hurt again!”
Instead He said, “Look! I’ve given you a brand new heart! There’s not even any scars! You are free to be unafraid! You can be vulnerable again!”
Vulnerability is a good thing when it comes from a place of wholeness!
A closed heart cannot love the way God intends. How can we draw near to God and others if our hearts are hidden away and walled up out of fear?
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.” – 1 John 4:18
Are you using Jesus to try to escape life, rather than to be healed so you can fully start living it again?
Avoidance is not the answer!
The healing love of Jesus is there to make you whole. His goal is to heal you so deeply that you’re able to be vulnerable again out of a place of wholeness!