He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”—Matthew 26:39 (NLT)
It’s an opportune time for me to share, through the Holy Spirit, about the powerful relationship between vulnerability and being a Christian.
What is vulnerability?
According to the dictionary, vulnerability is the quality of being easily hurt or attacked.
But as we are looking at vulnerability from a Christian point of view, I found this:
“Ultimately about risk, vulnerability invites us into the light; a place of truth, with a willingness to be seen and known. While we often think hiding behind anonymity or a people-pleasing mask presents a more acceptable persona, we sacrifice true connection. Worse, we lose our real selves.” (Read more here.)
Did you catch that? Can you relate? I know I can.
As I approach the milestone of turning 50, I feel an unrelenting need for a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God the Father, Jesus my Savior, and the Holy Spirit—my ultimate BFF. It’s a longing that won’t be quieted, a need to align fully with God’s will for my life. I’m learning to release any illusions of control because, as Jesus said:
“If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” —Matthew 16:25-26 (NLT)
This is a hard truth for many of us because we love the things that appeal to our flesh. Are we truly willing to forsake our desires for the Father’s will?
Reflecting on Jesus’ prayer before His crucifixion, I can only imagine the immense difficulty He faced. Despite the unimaginable suffering ahead, He chose vulnerability, crying out to God and submitting to His will over His own. His wisdom allowed Him to recognize that fulfilling God’s plan was the greatest—albeit the hardest—thing He could ever do.
Vulnerability and Transformation
Vulnerability is challenging. It requires us to be open about our feelings and strip away the facade and pretense. Writing this is hard for me because it’s about me—someone who often hides behind a brave and polished exterior while grappling with hard truths.
I know I’m not alone in this.
The beauty of vulnerability is that when we face our hurt and torment and admit our agony to God, we invite Him to begin the transformative work of healing. This leads to a freedom that’s difficult to explain but undeniably profound.
The truth is, God already knows everything about us. He’s waiting for us to get real with Him—and, sometimes, with others.
Many of us struggle to fully grasp that Jesus was human, with flesh and blood, just like us. He felt deeply, just as we do. Knowing the great suffering ahead couldn’t have been easy for Him.
But His sacrifice brought us ultimate peace and eternal life.
In the same way, when we willingly embrace vulnerability, we not only find peace for ourselves but also extend it to those around us. By living authentically, we allow others to see the light of Jesus in us, which can inspire them to acknowledge God’s presence in their own lives.
In the body of Christ, there’s often a tendency to “cover-up” and present our best selves. However, God cannot work fully in such an environment. True transformation requires us to take off the masks and simply be. That’s the only way we can exhale and live as we were created to live.
Remember when God walked in the Garden with Adam and Eve? That is what we should strive for. Yet, our cover-ups and pretenses create separation between us and Him.
Think about it.
Let’s embrace freedom and get real with ourselves and with God. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to guide us in this journey toward authenticity. This is not a time for separation—it’s a time for connection.
A connection that empowers us to stand firm as we continue our journey.
Lots of Love & Light!
