Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power: Loving the Unlovable

Loving the Unlovable-Step 3

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Thank you so much for allowing me to share your coffee hour and my experiences with you as they relate to loving the unlovable and difficult people in my life. It’s funny; while I was originally blogging this series, there were many real-time opportunities to put these steps into practice and as I review them now for you, I realize that as long as we are alive, there will always be opportunities for us to put loving the unlovable/difficult people into action. I hold myself accountable to Him and to you, which leads us to Step 3. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.

Step 3 involves finding someone you respect and trust to share your list with. That’s right; this is going to involve self-exposure, but lay down that pride and let Him preside, because transparency can be a beautiful thing for all involved. For example, when my husband shares something from deep within and he becomes transparent, it softens my heart like nothing else can. I don’t consider him to be weaker in his moments of transparent vulnerability; rather, quite the opposite.

Can you recall a time when someone you care about was transparent with you? How did you feel in that exposure of vulnerability?

In the last few years, through my unpacking process, I’ve learned that many have a difficult time allowing themselves to be vulnerable. That is for a myriad of reasons, many of which are truly complicated and deeply rooted. In my third year of ministry, God gave me an incredible vision that totally lines up with what we are talking about right now, transparency and accountability. Let me explain what I mean.

I saw this girl, down on her knees. Directly in front of her was this over-sized trunk. It was sort of a dingy black-brown, the hardware somewhat tarnished, the handle quite worn. There were patches of the outside finish that had chipped off and let’s just say it looked worn, tired and worn. The lid was open and the girl was staring into the almost empty trunk, tears streaming down her face, but they were happy tears. There weren’t many pieces left to unpack, and yet, the ones that remained would take some time to get to their root. But she was no longer in a hurry. His love in the process had taught her that some things take longer to achieve than others, depending on their root. But, oh, the freedom she felt now. She looked up, lifting her arms up she thanked Him, again and again and again. And then, in order to comfort others with the comfort she continued to receive, she looked behind at all that He had unpacked and was accomplishing in her life. The pieces of emotional junk that once had the power to destroy her lay behind her now. The tears continued to flow and then, almost as if He put His hand ever so gently under her chin, she looked up behind the unpacked pieces and there in the distance were thousands and thousands of others watching the transparency, encouraged to begin their own unpacking process.

See, in 2nd Corinthians 1, we read that the comfort we receive allows us to speak into the lives of those who need comfort. Where you see failure and pain, He sees victory and healing. Go ahead and think about an accountability partner to share the process with.

Evinda