Bold and Broken

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16, NIV).

I have conversations with people all day, everyday. Because folks are coming to see me about their physical pain, we are able to establish a relationship of trust that allows them to be vulnerable. They often share about their family, their pets, their jobs, and of course, their health. I usually get to spend a significant amount of time with my patients each week, so the space we share is special.

I had a conversation recently that revolved around disappointment. Life is hard. Even when we make plans, things don’t always work out the way we hope for or anticipate.

I found myself asking a few prodding questions, to which I wasn’t getting much of a response. After a very brief, but honest, conversation we shifted our focus to addressing this person’s physical pain. Yet, even after they left the clinic that day, my heart continued to sense they were dealing with much more than just physical pain.

Later that evening I had a conversation with a good friend. We often dive deep, especially as a it relates to our faith. As I reflected upon my day, I shared about the heaviness I was feeling. These types of conversation help me process my thoughts, my heart, and it helps me grow.

As I continued to process my stream of consciousness verbally, I was interrupted when she asked me to repeat something. “We are often taught to be bold in our faith, yet encouraged to cover up our brokenness.” The comment was so profound for both of us, that I knew it was from Jesus.

I am sure this is not truth for everyone, but unfortunately, in a world where social media informs our image, especially for our teens and young adults, I think this statement might be true more often than not.

As followers of Christ, I think we can sometimes experience an emotional and spiritual tug of war. It’s a battle between allowing ourselves to feel, process, and share the emotions of being a sinful human being while simultaneously professing the truth found in God’s promises.

I think we are often made to believe it has to be one or the other.We are encouraged to be bold for Christ, yet discouraged when it comes to being vulnerable about our own brokenness.

It doesn’t have to be one or the other. John 3:16 reminds us that Jesus died on the cross so that we could hold them both simultaneously. John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I want to encourage you today to remember the “and” statement in our lives.

Victorious and vulnerable. Courageous and cautious. Bold and broken.

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