Thriving in Adversity: The Courage to be Vulnerable

Bethany Wybert, LPC

In a broken world, we often find ourselves confronted with moments of adversity and uncertainty. Our mistakes, missteps, sins, or failures may feel glaringly obvious and on display for all to see. 

We have all experienced the inward cringing. The sting of shame. 

Sometimes we fall hard and life feels like it will never be the same.

As a Christian and a therapist, I am deeply passionate about exploring how we can cultivate resilience, both spiritually and mentally. 

How to “...watch the things you gave your life to, broken, 

And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:” (as Kipling describes in his famous poem, “If”).

So how do we move forward when everything falls apart? 

Courageous vulnerability. 

I know, it seems counterintuitive. 

Brene Brown, a renowned researcher on vulnerability and courage, beautifully captures this sentiment, saying, "Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we'll ever do." As Christians, we are called to embrace our vulnerabilities and weaknesses, recognizing that it is through our brokenness that God's strength is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). By owning our stories—both the triumphs and the struggles—we can find healing and redemption in Christ, who bore our sins and sorrows on the cross. We fully experience his grace. Even our failures and weaknesses can become a powerful part of our testimony if we allow God to use all of the parts of our story.

We might resist the idea of leaning into this kind of radical, emotional honesty. Maybe we don’t want to feel exposed, or maybe we think we can protect ourselves from more pain. Maybe we mistakenly think that we can keep up appearances indefinitely without paying a price. But inauthenticity often comes at the expense of our relationships with God and with others. Try as we might, we cannot avoid the risk of vulnerability completely. 

C.S. Lewis once eloquently stated, "To love at all is to be vulnerable." These profound words remind us that vulnerability is an integral aspect of our Christian journey. When we open our hearts to love, we also open ourselves up to the possibility of the pain and disappointment that comes with living in this broken world. 

At times, people will fail. Relationships will fail. We will fail. 

You cannot have it both ways. To be truly loved is to be truly known. 

Terrifyingly vulnerable.

The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. Stepping into courageous vulnerability is not an individual endeavor, it’s a communal one. Galatians 6:2 commands us to “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” We are called to bear one another's burdens and walk alongside each other in times of need. By fostering a culture of compassion, empathy, and support within our church community, we create a safe space where individuals can freely express their vulnerabilities and find strength and encouragement in their fellow believers.

Choosing honesty and authenticity in our relationships with God and with others, allows us to fully experience God's love and grace in our own lives. Then we can extend grace and compassion to ourselves and, in turn, to those around us. This authentic love is a hallmark of our Christian faith.

Operating at this level of authenticity requires a deep trust in God's love and faithfulness. As Psalm 28:7 reminds us, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me." By placing our trust in Christ and surrendering our fears and insecurities to Him, we can own our own stories and find the strength to heed the call to embrace courageous vulnerability. We can trust in God's love, lean on the support of our church family, and find courage to step out in faith, knowing that in our weakness, His strength is made perfect (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Perhaps the concept of vulnerability is best summarized in this line from the children’s song “Jesus Loves Me”: I am weak, but He is strong.