“Letting yourself be loved is an act of terrifying vulnerability and surrender.” – Ann Voskamp
In Chapter 7 (“Love Is a Roof for All Our Brokenness”) of The Broken Way, Ann asks why we find it so hard to receive love. It seems easier to pour out love to others than accept love poured out from others. Also, chronic soul amnesia keeps me from remembering Christ believes in me.
Consequently, Ann breaks down the implications of allowing God – and others- to love you:
” . . . to let yourself be loved means breaking down your walls of self-sufficiency and letting yourself need and opening your hands to receive. Letting yourself receive love means trusting you will be loved in your vulnerable need . . . believing you are worthy of being loved.”
In addition, Jesus deeply comforted the unsettled. In contrast, Jesus also deeply unsettled the comfortable. Therefore, we must see Jesus as ultimately beautiful (emphasis Ann’s). However, seeing Jesus as merely useful severely impacts our perspective. As a result, Ms. Voskamp contrasts the two viewpoints.
Jesus as merely useful
- tempts me to want to make Him move my world
- reduces Him to a gadget or pill to make life better
Jesus as ultimately beautiful
- moves my heart, and this begins to change my world
- creates a joy in Him that makes me live better . . . love better (emphasis Ann’s)
In conclusion, Ann notes, God’s grace planted in us will grow, as grace always does. And, rather than negate transformation, grace initiates it! never underestimate the power of God. As Ann adds, Christ’s grace gently and radically reorders everything. Jesus guarantees the best trial outcome: guilty, but no condemnation. Furthermore, Ann encourages:
“You never have to overcome your brokenness to claim God’s love. His love has already overcome your brokenness and claimed you.”
Today’s question: Difficult or easy- letting God or others love you? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Real love is a roof”
