Last semester I was apart of a weekly Bible study with ten other lovely ladies and we went through the study of 'Discovery' by Will and Betty Wyatt. It focuses on looking at God's Word and understanding it better and having some of our questions answered by looking at what Scripture has to say.
"Discovery helps redirect those who have grown up knowing about the Lord, but who have not experienced the deep, meaningful relationship He wants with them. ... All believers can experience joy, peace, and a sense of God's love, even in the midst of a question-filled world."
As part of our study the eleven of us ladies were given the assignment to take turns each week to share our life stories. This included - where we grew up, a little bit about our family, things we struggled with growing up, experiences we went through that make us who we are today and what our struggle is at the current time. This meant that we had to be transparent. I had only shared bits and pieces of my life story with certain people, but I had never chronologically shared my life story,especially the things that would make me seem less of a follower of Christ. I was not use to being open to my sins of the past or of the present and was certainly not use to being vulnerable. Thankfully I had a couple months to prepare before I shared with these ladies, some of which I did not know very well.
Each week was amazing. As each young lady shared their life story I became aware of a lot of things about them and myself. I soon came to learn that people are the way they are because of the life they have lived and the things they have experienced. Everyone has their sin that they struggle with and no one is better or holier than anyone else. We are equal in the eyes of the Lord. We all experience different journeys and encounter unique chapters in life. I quickly learned that I am a judgmental person and with so many people have I looked at them or have been around them and thought, "Really? Why do you do things that way? Why do you react that way? Why?" Not taking time to stop and think, "Wow, I have no idea what this person is going through or what they have gone through, and I don't know why they respond that way. Maybe there's something going on in their lives that is causing the way they are right now." As humans we are selfish and don't even take time to consider others. It is definitely something that has to be practiced and given time. Being selfless and serving others does not come naturally. But with time and practice it can become your initial response.
As the week for my time to share crept up I had become comfortable enough with these ladies in my Bible study to be transparent. I shared my life story with them, being open about things I struggled with growing up and things I took part in that I was not proud of and revealing the very things I struggled with at that moment in life - how trusting God with bringing my future spouse into my life was ridiculous, because it was taking too long; how I struggle with self pity thoughts; how I rebelliously turned from God and tried to live my own way and making things come about at my own time. The list goes on.
I learned a bit about me after sharing and started to understand some things that God let me experience so that He could teach me certain things. I do not regret things that I did or have gone through, because I have learned numerous things from each experience. I don't think I have ever been so vulnerable in my life apart from my relationship with the Lord. There was something satisfying and beautiful about it.
By the end of the semester, and after hearing just about everyone's life story, I discovered I had quite a bit in common with each young lady. My eyes were opened and the Lord really showed me how healthy it is to be open to other believers. They are there to support you, pray for you, love you, help you and just be there for you. Being vulnerable with other believers creates oneness and the Word says, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is apart of it." (1 Corinthians 10:27). We, as believers, are suppose to be one. How can we be one when we portray ourselves as having it all together and not having any struggles? That is sadly seen in a lot of churches today.
The last seven months I have been more transparent with others and open about my struggles and the Lord has used that to touch other's hearts as well as my own. It has been an amazing experience and I have been seeing lately that more and more people are being open about their lives and the things they have experienced. All without shame. If we want to reach out to those who have no desire to know Christ or to be a Christian because all they see is people being 'holier' and 'better', we need to be honest and transparent with them and let them know that they are not alone in their struggles. We, as believers, need to be more honest, open and transparent with one another to grow in Christ as well as with each other as the body of Christ.
There is such growth through this.
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