While talking with a friend the other day, a particular statement she said struck me with a sort of.. awakeningexperience. We were discussing what it means to be open and vulnerable and her statement—well, it immediately drew a fire out of me. Since I have dedicated my life to Christ, I’ve been silently studying the word vulnerable. It’s been in this last year of growth that I’ve learned that I need to share my thoughts more openly.
“ButIdon’twanttoplaythevictimcard.”
As Christians, we often don’t think that the ghosts in our closet should be allowed to come out. We feel we have to uphold a certain standard because they just might not let us back in if they hear that secret. They might not want me if they know I did this back then.
It’s unsettling to me that sharing our truth with others justlikeus isn’t practiced more simply because we worry about what they might think. Oftentimes the ones we want to open up to probably experienced the same, or very similar, situation that we did. Even more, they could probably really use a friend to share their truth with as well.
You see, that’s how God works. He brings together those of us who have similar bricks of shame in our own bags to walk this journey together. He brings us to the same room, same school, same church, or same workplace, and hopes we’ll get to talking. It’s through speaking our own truths out loud with our like-minded sisters and brothers that God begins to heal that blister. That ache. It’s when we open our hearts and allow the real experiences to spill out that we allow Jesus into the healing that is so necessary. It’s through speaking it out of your own mind and mouth that Jesus helps you navigate it yourself. Jesus wants His people to be raw, emotional, real, and willing to connect with each other. He wants us to be relatable and honest about life and the struggles we go through as human beings. When we keep our mouths shut, or stick to the small pleasantries allowing the wounds to fester in our minds, it only allows the devil to multiply his hold. And instead of unpacking our bricks of shame and lettingthemgo, we pick them back up, one-by-one, settle them on our shoulders and walk the heavy trek to loneliness. The devil applauding himself while Jesus’ heart for us is breaking.
This topic weighs so heavy on my heart. I have done some of the most deplorable things in my past. Drugs, sex, abortion, and drinking to oblivion, just to name a few. I carried those bricks for so very long thinking I was a bad seed and no one would understand me. But it’s been through sitting and sharing with friends and sometimes complete strangers that I’ve allowed Jesus to whisper, “I still love you and now theydotoo.” Now that I’ve opened up and let them see that I am real… That I lived a life that was hard… That I made choices that were destructive… But by the grace of God, I’m still standing, and I am still loved, byHim–now I have a testimony that gives God all the glory he deserves.
I pray that each of you would have open eyes to see and open ears to hear what I am saying. You are not a victim–but a victor. You are not weak–but strong in the power of His might. You are not invalid–but chosen by God. Your vulnerability is absolutely beautiful. Your truth is sacred. And your story is worth hearing. So start sharing it!
Yours,
Charli Martin
Introverted. Lover of Dr. Pepper. Painfully frugal. All characteristics of the daringly, bold soul of a woman—Charli Martin. She is a mother of three incredible boys, head over heels in love with her husband, Chris, and fired up about faith & Jesus more than ever before! In the last four years, Charli and her husband have co-founded and built their landscaping & construction business making entrepreneurship their way-of-life. Though business, ministry, and education take high priority in Charli’s life—there isn’t another woman I’ve met who displays the importance of an emphasis on family more than she.
Lovely. Thanks for sharing Charli!
I love this! Exactly what I needed to hear. Now just to do it. Thanks Charli!