Four Strengths in Vulnerability

In James 4:6 I read,  “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (NLT)

My vulnerability is not a weakness. In fact, vulnerability is a strength! God can take my vulnerabilities and make me spiritually empowered, emotionally healed, relationally attractive, and formed for leadership. Here’s how.

First, being open and honest with others about my weaknesses is spiritually empowering because it opens the door to God’s grace: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 NLT). Grace is the power I need to change and break through my bad habits and weaknesses.

Second, vulnerability is also emotionally healing. James 5:16 says, “Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (TLB). If I want to just be forgiven, I don’t need to confess my sin to anyone other than God. But if I want to be healed, I’ve got to share my weaknesses with somebody else. God has wired you in such a way that revealing my feelings is the beginning of healing.

Third, vulnerability is relationally attractive. The Bible says, “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2 NIV). James even included himself in that statement. When someone tells me that they mess up too, they become more relatable. Nobody wants to be married to or friends with a narcissist. But when I’m vulnerable, when I admit my weaknesses and maybe even laugh at myself, I’ll draw people in.

Fourth, being vulnerable doesn’t just give me spiritual power, help me heal, and make me more attractive. It’s also a requirement for leadership. If I can’t be vulnerable, I’m not a leader; I’m just a boss. “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom” (James 3:13 NLT). As I gain God’s wisdom, I also become humbler. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10 NIV). God honors my humility and vulnerability and uses them to form me into a leader.

The Bible can really be countercultural. The world tells me to keep my guard up and not appear weak. But God says to boast in my weaknesses, because they reveal his power and make me more dependent on him.

Will I let my guard down so that my weaknesses can point others to Jesus Christ?

In summary, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. My vulnerability is not a weakness, In fact, it is a strength! God can take my vulnerabilities and make me spiritually empowered, emotionally healed, relationally attractive, and formed for leadership. First, being open and honest with others about my weaknesses is empowering because it opens the door to God’s grace. Grace is the power I need to change and break through my bad habits and weaknesses. Second, vulnerability is also emotionally healing. To be healed, I’ve got to share my weaknesses with somebody else. God has wired me in such a way that revealing my feelings is the beginning of healing. Third, vulnerability is relationally attractive. When someone tells me that they mess up too, they become more relatable. When I admit my weaknesses and maybe even laugh at myself, I’ll draw people in. Fourth, being vulnerable doesn’t just give me spiritual power, help me heal, and make me more attractive. It’s also a requirement for leadership. If I can’t be vulnerable, I’m not a leader. As I gain God’s wisdom, I also become humbler. God honors my humility and vulnerability and uses them to form me into a leader. The Bible can really be counter-cultural. The world tells me to keep my guard up and not appear weak. But God says to boast in my weaknesses, because they reveal his power and make me more dependent on him.

Being open about my vulnerability and weaknesses makes me more relatable. I’m not just sitting high and mighty but also making mistakes, allowing others to see and model how I then depend on God for healing and correction. Being humble and obtaining wisdom from God is a lot better than being wise in my own eyes and understanding. This study this morning is a helpful encouragement in pointing toward God’s power rather than my own strengths.The results of my life should show this. Father, I pray that with help from the Holy Spirit in my life that I embrace my vulnerabilities so that I can be spiritually empowered, emotionally healed, relationally attractive, and formed for leadership and used for your purposes. I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my future job role and what I need to lead a small group to become a community for you and your purposes. I pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.