“There’s no way I could do that Lord..”
Have you heard yourself say that?
God has a way of finding our, “There’s no way I could do that.”
When Peter said that, God had just shown up as He took Peter into a trance while waiting for lunch.
For some of you reading this right now are waiting. You are in a period of waiting because God is about to do a suddenly and communicate what’s on His heart with you in a form and way that may surprise you.
LEANING INTO VULNERABILITY – REALLY??
There is nothing like leaning into the supernaturalness of God that pulls on vulnerability in us. Peter leaned into a trance. (Acts 10:10) That is vulnerability!
We have such an eversion in our world to vulnerability – that choice to risk, do uncertainty, feel emotionally exposed.
And for good reason. When shame and blame is our language, our way of doing people, life, jobs, parenting, then vulnerability and bravery is not an option for people.
Shaming others is cruel. Brene Brown says, “I think shame is a tool of oppression. Humiliation, berating – are tools of hurt. They’re not going to be tools of justice. I’m not going to participate in that with you. Because shame doesn’t just change the person who is the target of the shame. Shame changes people who use it against other people.”1.
It is so easy to shame others who are courageous in leaning into God and the supernatural wonders of who He is. So easy especially when it is different, peculiar. Easier to shame what we don’t understand than stay curious and open.
But God finds our line, our line of what is reasonable… what ‘we have reasoned’ is ok in Him and with Him. He will find that line and press on it but never with shame, to shame.
God does not do shame and blame.
God does vulnerability. Why? Because it is only in vulnerability that connection can happen.
VULNERABILITY THE WAY TO CONNECTION
Think of it. Every time family drives off after a visit and yells out the window “love you”, there is the pull of connection. Every time a friend rings up and begins to share something that is making them feel uncertain and they express emotion around that, connection’s hand is reaching out to us.
It has been said, “The Brokenhearted are the bravest among us because they got past their egos and busted their hearts out of that prison so they could love.”2.
Nothing is more brave than vulnerability. Peter knew that. Peter valued that with God because God’s connection with Him was the prize he valued the most.
He had encountered the power of God’s mercy and it changed everything for him. God wanted the church built on a Peter who knew how much he needed mercy.
THE POWER OF LIVING VULNERABILITY
And Peter’s willingness to receive the connection with God while waiting, changed everything for us.
God asked Peter to step into the most wild vulnerability of Jewish history! God asked Peter to break the very Law He has set out for the Jewish people. This law required the Jews to not eat what is unclean and now was speaking to him and saying, kill and eat. (Acts 10:13)
But it got more confronting. God messed with Peter’s reasonableness and his willingness to do vulnerability. He spoke to Peter again and said, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” (Acts 10:15).
Peter is perplexed. (Acts 10:17). Ever felt like that? Perplexed: unable to grasp something clearly or to think logically about something.
God will mess with our logic when He is vulnerable with us. An un-renewed mind is at war with God and incapable of obeying Him. Romans 8:7 says, “In fact, the mind-set focused on the flesh fights God’s plan and refuses to submit to his direction, because it cannot!”
God loves our minds. He is not opposed to our minds, but when they are not renewed by Him they will interfere with our connection with Him. Our minds can get in the way of our hearts, and hearts can embrace things that our heads can’t.
As Bill Johnson says, “No one ever attributes the traits of courage and valor to the intellect or the strength of human reasoning.”3.
Peter chooses vulnerability. He chooses to stay connected even when he doesn’t understand, and steps into associating, eating and bringing the gospel to a people that Jews considered unclean.
That choice saw Gentiles welcomed into the Kingdom of God, fulfilling prophecy and the yearning of God’s heart for all the world to be reconnected to Him. (John 3:16)
Vulnerability empowered Peter to move past what God HAD said, to embrace what God WAS saying now. Vulnerability equipped him to fulfill prophecy, both his personal prophecy and wider prophecy. And above all, vulnerability created and covered his connection with God.
This is the power of vulnerability. And this is the moment we are in. God has begun a new day. Position your heart to receive His vulnerability and to walk in vulnerability.
Yes they may shame you and probably will. Show up anyway.
Yes you might have said, “There’s no way I could do that Lord..” Show up anyway.
Your courage and connection lays in your choice to do vulnerability.
References:
1. Dare to Lead: Brown, B (2018) Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. London: Penguim Random House UK
2. Dare to Lead: Brown, B (2018)
3. Resting Place, B Johnson. (2019) Destiny Image Books, PA.
“Key to a church leader’s health and effectiveness in Kingdom work is the understanding and management of self and others. The Living Courage workshop provided me with profound insight and practical tools that I have drawn upon again and again in my work. I feel better able to identify vulnerability and to know how to lead others and myself towards creativity and courage, which has released people into greater freedom in Christ. An incredibly helpful course led with great clarity and energy by Helen, that I would recommend to church leaders, or to anyone desiring to better know themselves and others.”
Rev C. OGDEN | Anglican Church, Australia