As a potter working a piece of clay on the wheel, I get messy right along with the clay. The process of transformation isn't clean or simple, it's raw and real as my hands reach inside the pot to bring purpose from this piece of dirt. Not for the faint of heart, the process of “becoming” requires vulnerability from both the potter and clay. In a society that often revolves around Instagram and social media, it can be easy to paint the picture that life is perfect or that we have everything together. But isn't it often the messy places in life that God uses as a testimony of His faithfulness? If we don't let people see the mess that God is transforming, we keep them at arms' length, and true, authentic relationships never happen. Jesus models healthy vulnerability for us. He chose 12 raw, imperfect men to hang out with for 3 ½ years and they got to see what life was like for Him. Every time Jesus was rejected, tested with the temptation to compromise, or was offered extravagant praise, they got to watch the process and see how He walked it out. Without Jesus' vulnerability, his close disciples would never have seen first-hand what it meant to live out the gospel every day. He said, You are the ones who have remained with Me in My times of testing. Luke 22:28 Jesus also had great boundaries: he wasn't afraid to be authentic and real, but he was never co-dependent on the people around him. He knew when to reserve His battles for prayer, pouring out His heart to the Father, and when to honestly share with others difficult things that were happening or going to happen. In the same way, sometimes we need to guard our hearts and emotions, working through life's difficulties with close friends and the Lord. Other times, when we open up and share about the "messy" parts of life, it allows God to be glorified as we walk out the difficult parts of life with Him. For my book, Finding Beautiful: Discovering Authentic Beauty Around the World, I interviewed Charla, a young woman who was incredibly brave to open her past and give us a glimpse of her journey for the chapter Beautiful Vulnerability. She shares about growing up in a home where her father was the song leader at their Christian church, but the abuse and controlling behavior behind the scenes was deeply damaging to her heart. Charla wanted nothing to do with the picture of Jesus that was painted by her parents. At the age of 16, she became pregnant, and her family helped her to have an abortion to save face in the church. Devastated by the experience and the mocking of her school mates, Charla began to read the Psalms and cry out to God from her misery. Slipping into a little country church, she heard the visiting preacher play guitar and share the gospel. Something new and precious touched Charla's heart... Jesus died for ME... He loves ME! Although she had memorized John 3:16 and could quote Bible verses all day long, she had never had an encounter with the love and forgiveness of Jesus. Sobbing, she ran to the altar and was radically touched by God. You can read more of Charla's story and her healing road from abortion in the book, Finding Beautiful. Through her vulnerability, we get a picture of God's love and the tender way He woos and wins us to His heart. Prayer: Father, help me to experience Your love in the messiness of life, and be vulnerable to share both the joys and triumphs of the journey, knowing You are faithful each step of the way. For Charla's "after" shoot, my friend Nancy Warner styled a stunning table just for her. In a beautiful garden overlooking a small lake, we wanted to show how the Lord spreads a feast of restoration. To read the full story of Redemption and discover moments of beauty in your world, pick up my book Finding Beautiful: Discovering Authentic Beauty Around the World.
1 Comment
Marike
7/8/2019 10:31:29 am
Thank you Rebecca. Thank you Jesus
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