2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV — But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

I have always loved today’s featured Bible verse as it refers to jars of clay. I have only worked with clay in very amateur projects but when I think of my experiences I know that the clay has to be soft and pliable in order to manipulate and mold it. When I think of our relationship with Christ, I think we should be like clay. We must be soft and pliable in order to be moldable. We must allow ourselves to be vulnerable to God. We must be willing to follow His will.

This week we have looked at various ways that being vulnerable can be positive instead of the usual negative connotations associated with the word. As we finish this Friday, I encourage you to intentionally be vulnerable. Allow yourself to be soft and pliable so God can mold and shape you into His vessel. 

Let’s pray. Dear God, help me to be vulnerable in my relationship with You. Show me ways to be soft and pliable so You can mold and shape me into the vessel You would have me be. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

In John 13:34-35 NIV Jesus directs us — A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

My high school composition teacher told our class, “The amount you love is dependent on how willing you are to be hurt.” I must say, when she first told us this, I brushed it into the corner of my mind not believing a word of it. However, as I lived and learned, I found she was exactly right. Truly loving someone requires vulnerability. As we have learned, being vulnerable means exposed and susceptible. This sounds terrible! However, letting down our protective fences, trusting others with our emotions, and sharing life’s ups and downs, can all be beautiful blessings. Loving one another is not easy, but loving others can be our greatest testimony of our relationship with Christ. Love is how others will know we are His disciple. 

Spend some time examining your relationships with others. Do others see the love of Christ in your interactions? Is it evident you are His disciple in your reactions and responses? Be aware today as you are around others. Be intentional about showing God’s love so others will know you are His disciple.

Let’s pray. Dear God, open my eyes to my actions and reactions. May all that I say and do today be done with love so others will know I am Your disciple. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

Galatians 6:2 NIV — Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Water walking Wednesday is an opportunity to intentionally take a step out of your boat of comfort and walk on water, allowing God to guide you toward His will. Water walking requires you to be vulnerable. A couple of synonyms for “vulnerable” are  exposed and susceptible. 

When Julie and I first began our Waterwalkers blog, our goal was to share our ordinary lives, full of struggles and storms, in the hopes that others would relate. We wanted you, the reader, to see that our Christian walk is not so different from your Christian walk. In order to truly show you that we are all similar, we had to let down our guard and be vulnerable. We had to walk on water and expose our flaws and failures. In return, all of you have shared our burdens and joined with us in prayer. Over the years, some of you have reached out to share your struggles with us so we may also share your burdens. That is what Christ calls us to do. Sharing struggles with one another requires us to be vulnerable and step out of our boats of comfort. Water walking is not easy, but God always rewards our step of faith with His grace and mercy. Let’s spend time in prayer asking God for guidance and direction, be vulnerable to His will, and then let’s go walk on water! 

Let’s pray. Dear God, guide and direct my steps. Reveal Your will, give me strength and courage, and show me when and where to step out of my boat of comfort and walk on water with You. Help me to lovingly carry the burdens of others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

James 1:2-4 NIV — Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Believe it or not, everyone has struggles. Everyone! No one’s life is perfect. If we allow it, our life on Earth is a constant learning lab, as we strive to be more like Christ. In the middle of difficulties, we often do not see how any good could possibly come from such storms. However, God never fails to use hardships to teach us and make us more Christ-like, if we allow Him. That is the catch, You and I have to allow ourselves to be vulnerable in order for God to mold us. We have to “let go and let God” lead us through the storms of life. Take a moment to listen to this song that is an oldie but goodie. “Eye of the Storm” by Ryan Stevenson reminds us that through the storms of life, God is with us. In the middle of difficulties we must lean into God, be vulnerable to His will, and trust that our perseverance will grow our faith.

Let’s pray. Dear God, help me to let go of control, be vulnerable to Your will, and trust Your guidance through the storms of life. May I allow You to mold and shape me to be more like Christ. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

James 5:16 MSG — Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.

How open are you to sharing your struggles with Christian friends? Do you allow others to see your vulnerability or do you work hard to keep your struggles hidden? When thinking about how we hide our weaknesses I think of the scene from the Wizard of Oz when the characters see on the other side of the curtain the wizard has been hiding behind. Click here to watch the video.

Sharing our struggles is a way to connect and oftentimes witness to others. Allowing others to see how you react and respond to your troubles may reveal struggles you have in common. Being vulnerable also allows others to share your struggles so they may pray for you. I encourage you to let down the curtain around you instead of constructing a perfect looking facade. Being vulnerable and sharing with others can become a beautiful blessing for both of you.

Let’s pray. Dear God, give me strength to let down the curtain I use to cover my struggles. Use my vulnerability to witness and share with others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV — But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

What does “vulnerable” mean to you? Being vulnerable seems negative when simply studying the meaning outside of the context of the Christian life. Vulnerable can mean being exposed and susceptible. This week let’s explore how being vulnerable in our relationship with God can be our biggest blessing. I encourage you to begin your devotion time each morning by being open and receptive to new ideas God may lay on your heart. Rely on the grace of Christ as you explore being vulnerable in your Christian walk.

Let’s pray. Dear God, open my mind, heart, and ears to Your individual message for me this week. May I be an open and willing vessel for You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen

Psalms‬ ‭27‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

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