Vulnerability (the struggle but the benefits)

As a casual blogger, I know vulnerability like the back of my hand. You may be able to relate to some and learn some benefits of vulnerability if you continue reading, whether you think you're good at it, or if you want nothing to do with it. If this sounds too basic of a topic for you, don't click away just yet! You may walk away with something even still.

My whole life has been a balance of wearing my heart on my sleeve, while still choosing the few people who get to know everything about me...(the nitty gritty for lack of better words!!)

Something I discussed in my last post about struggling and not being ashamed of struggling was the fact that the Bible is full of laments, trials, transparency, vulnerability, and straight up distress. These guys were honest with themselves and decided to share that with the entire world for generations to come. It is a great example of how to FEEL/express every feeling God put in your heart.

There is also a balance of where to put this stuff, however.

For me, I have chosen to use my media platforms to share my story, hills and valleys and all. I have always had this mindset, but over the past few years I have discovered the "art" of maturity in the matter. I can't just scream at the world through a subtweet on twitter. I can't just complain and gripe every chance I get. I choose to point back to Jesus in every situation and try to see how He is working through it, which I know I have adequately portrayed. But I'm not about to sugar coat how hard life is. This is why I have this blog: to be as open as possible without broadcasting it all over my facebook page all the time. Prayer requests are great on my timeline, but the true motivation behind why I do everything goes here. I feel like this might be how the men of the Bible were. I'm sure they had their people they went to for support, and they wrote everything out in personal journals, some even may have shared copies with others... who really knows?

"In grief and lament as [Horatio Spafford's] ship passed over the watery grave of his wife and four beloved daughters, he wrote this famous hymn, “It is Well With My Soul”. Many of us know that hymn and have been touched deeply through the words expressed in every verse. Horatio Spafford knew the power of the prayer of lament in that instant. His words have helped multitudes face their own sorrows. He refused to let God go in the midst of difficulty and grief." (Debbie Przybylski, Intercessors Arise)

Let me share some of the blessing of sharing your life with others (from personal experience -- I am sure there are many other examples out there that I could research and insert but this is what I have on hand).

I've been told that through my health confusion back when the doctors were just figuring out what I had, that other people with similar symptoms and issues were able to test for the things I was posting for prayer about. They were able to narrow down more things from the ideas I was sharing with the public.

As I've mentioned before in other posts, I grew up with mental health issues. Now I am able to help young people overcome their negative mindsets and show them that if I can come out of it, so can they. I have had young girls in tears thanking me for my vulnerability because they thought they were alone in the situation and since I was open about it, and they see where I am now, they know they can make it through also.

Then there is the struggle of vulnerability. I never had the fear of putting my life out there for all to see (in a healthy (and even sometimes unhealthy wayyyy back in the day) extent), but I can see why other people would. I have gotten backlash for it. I have been unfriended for it many times. But that's okay... they don't want or need to see my posts. But other people do.

If you (the reader) take one step to be vulnerable, even face to face with someone you trust, you just might change their mindset, their perspective, and maybe their life. That sounds dramatic, but I know that through hearing other people's stories, whether from the pulpit or reading a blog or having a face to face conversation with a close friend, I walk away a better and more knowledgable person. Sometimes even inspired. I loooooove hearing what people are going through and knowing how to pray for them specifically.

There's also a time to just share things with one or two people face to face and that's it. This really is a game of discernment. But God created us for community, so remember that He will probably also give you wisdom on where to put it if you ask Him. I truly think He can use every situation in every moment from every human being for His Kingdom. So post away! Share away face to face. Point back to your Hope in God! But remember to live it out in your daily life, too. It's easy to get caught up in the "How are you?" "I'm struggling, but God is good!" without actually believing it. Refresh your mind and heart about His promises and continue to be vulnerable. You might help an unsuspecting family member, friend, acquaintance, or even stranger out.

“It seems to me that we do not need to be taught how to lament since we have so many models in Scripture. What we need is simply the assurance that it’s okay to lament. We all carry deep within ourselves a pressurized reservoir of tears. It takes only the right key at the right time to unlock them. In God’s perfect time, these tears can be released to form a healing flood. That’s the beauty and the mystery of the prayer of lament.” - Michael Card