Let God Love You: Embracing Vulnerability and Need in Faith

I know, these are two words our culture does not like. No one wants to feel vulnerable, and no one wants to be in need. Western culture prizes independence and self-reliance above all. But vulnerability and need are exactly the things that open the door to intimacy. And intimacy is essential for any deep relationship.

If we truly hope to know and trust God, we must cultivate intimacy with Him.

Now, you wouldn’t attempt to build a deep relationship with someone you didn’t know. Most of us would never walk up to a stranger on the street and share our deepest, darkest secret. In fact, many of us struggle to open up fully even with our spouse or closest friends. So it’s no surprise that we sometimes find it difficult to have a deep relationship with God.

Here are a few reasons we often fear being vulnerable with Him:

• We forget that God already knows everything- He sees and knows every detail about you! He was there when you were knit together in your mother’s womb. He has seen every time you sinned and every time you prayed.

• We doubt God’s unconditional love- Human love is often conditional, based on performance, perfection, or expectations. But God’s love is not like ours. He blesses both the just and the unjust. He embodies the love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4–5.

• We assume God is like us- Without Him, we are slaves to sin and don’t always treat one another as we should. People can be jealous, angry, or unkind. That makes it hard to trust anyone with our hearts. But God is not like us, He is love personified.

Vulnerability

Vulnerability is simply the willingness to take a risk and let someone see the real you, weaknesses, struggles, and all. With God, that looks like being open and honest about your doubts, fears, and needs.

Nothing you say will shock Him. He already knows.

But when you actually say it out loud, the good, the bad, and the ugly, you’re acknowledging His presence in those deep dark places. It’s like saying, “Okay Lord, I trust You enough to let You all the way in.”

That simple act of honesty is powerful. It’s faith in action. And God meets us there with grace, love, and a deeper intimacy than we ever imagined.

Here are a few benefits of vulnerability in our relationship with God:

• It deepens our connection- The more we share with God, the more space He has to work in our hearts and lives. You must invite the Holy Spirit to work in your heart. You do this by sharing your insecurities, fears, hurts, and hang-ups. He wants to hear it all. As you (and others) start to see the work of the Holy Spirit in you, you will trust Him more and more. The connection between you and God will deepen.

• It creates emotional safety- When we feel safe, we open up more freely. Understanding that God loves us despite our sinful state gives us confidence to approach Him. Knowing He longs to forgive us and cleanse us from unrighteousness makes us eager to confess and draw closer.

• It fosters authenticity- Fear of rejection or judgment often causes us to hide, but we cannot hide from an omniscient God. He already knows, and still, He invites us closer. While we were still sinners, God sent Jesus to die for our sins; that is the kind of Love God has for YOU! He knows everything, and still loves you more than you can imagine.

Let God love you.

Need

Why is need an asset in our faith? I once heard someone say, “Trouble is an opportunity for God to do the miraculous.” We live in a wealthy and educated nation. Yet this abundance can cause us to depend on ourselves rather than on God. We rely on our jobs for provision, sometimes neglecting family and friends to punch the clock. We chase approval from peers, constantly adjusting to the latest trends. We turn to prescriptions for healing, to others for emotional stability, and to eloquent evangelists to deliver God’s Word, without seeking Him directly.

But this way of life leaves little room for God to work the impossible. God has showed up for me in the most amazing ways when I reached the end of myself and I cried out to Him for help when I could no longer work or think my way out of something. The apostle Paul said this in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10;

8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters,[a] about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,

When we rely on everything and everyone else, we leave little room for God to move. Need creates space for Him to do what only He can do.

Let God help you.

Reflection

• “Where is God inviting you to be vulnerable with Him today?”

• “What need could you bring before Him instead of trying to carry alone?”