Vulnerability

It’s been a while since I’ve written my own blog here on Tumblr. All my posts are simply just reblogs from other Tumblr users & me expressing my love and passion for strawberries.

For this blog, it’s going to be a little more serious. In fact, I’ll be putting my “strawberry craze” moments aside & start discussing about something more Christ-centered.

It’s been over 3 years since I’ve been involved with EPIC Movement: First year part-time with UC Irvine before transferring out of my community college & then my second year with Davis EPIC. It’s currently my second year with Davis EPIC, so I guess this counts as a third year for EPIC Movement in general. It’s been quite a journey these past couple of years. Of course, my walk with Christ has not been easy. It never has been. Even as a strong believer, I still stumble, fall and submit to sin. Therefore, this is why I am going to focus this blog on one thing: Vulnerability.

 Throughout all my years in EPIC, I have never understood the concept of “vulnerability” until maybe recently. The term seemed to be defined as a way to express weakness and imperfection of oneself. It seemed that for quite a long time, I often found trouble or was just too stubborn to express my vulnerabilities to my brothers and sisters-in Christ at EPIC. One example was sharing my faith and testimony to them and how it built me up as a follower of Christ. Of course, I can’t say I’m now well built because I’m still building up spiritually. Overall, I was initially reluctant in sharing my testimony because I was afraid of being judged and condemned by others for my past indecencies. Perhaps I did share small bits and parts of my testimony, but never shared with my brothers and sisters in Christ the whole picture. Recently however, I have taken a step of faith to share to a few of my brothers and sisters in Christ my testimony in the most detailed manner I am able to express. The motivation God had given me was through listening to a few of their testimonies which at first, I didn’t feel comfortable in listening to because I didn’t think their stories would relate or apply to me at all. I was also still reluctant because I was afraid that my intent to share was out of my own pride rather than out of the Lord. However, I didn’t allow condemnation to take over me and let myself be full of resent and doubt, so I continued sharing my testimony and my brothers and sisters in Christ listened with love and care as I also listened to them the same way. As a result, I had found healing through sharing with each other our faith through our imperfections, but most of all, unconditional love from Christ.

It’s sometimes hard to share with others your testimony when it involves your struggles with sin. Most commonly, it involves being harshly judged and criticized by others. However, if you turn your worries to God, He will turn those negativities into faith and hope and help you build on your weakness to make you stronger in your faith. In other words, when it comes to sharing with your brothers and sisters in Christ your vulnerabilities in terms of your faith and testimony, do not be discouraged for God will build you up spiritually.

“If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”
– Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV)

(Source: sarahfeezy)