Vulnerable

Softness of Heart

Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop -- Matthew 13:8 NIV

Before a gardener plants a seed, he plows the dirt. The loose dirt allows roots to grow deep. Maintain a soft, humble, submissive and receptive heart for God to minister to. Incline your heart to hear what he wants to speak. Don't be stubborn with Him.

Do you have trouble hearing God speaking and ministering to you? Without a soft and receptive heart, it is difficult to truly hear another person talking to us directly. Have you ever missing something someone was trying to tell you because your heart wasn't open to them or you were distracted? Or, has someone ever missed what you were telling them? God often speaks in whispers hard to hear if your heart isn't open.

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.”
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.
When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"
-- 1 Kings 19:11-13 NIV

Temper Expectations

Give way to his plans when they may differ from yours. Make your expectations pliable before him.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. -- Proverbs 3:6 KJV

Have you ever dreaded having a conversation with someone, because you just knew that it was going to be argumentative? All too often I've found myself imagining the worst just like that and then preparing appropriate responses. And, why? To protect myself; to cover up vulnerability. What happens? No matter what the other person brings to the conversation, we bring the argumentativeness; that is what we prepared ahead of time. Our expectations of a situation will drive our thoughts and actions. So much so that when the real situation arrives, and it is different than what we expected, we act out as if our previous expectations are reality. For good or bad, we program ourselves by our thoughts, expectations, and assumptions. When it comes to the things of God, it is always best to remain vulnerable to him and trust.

Our plans and expectations can cause us to miss what God has for us when they don't align with reality; His reality!. Submit and acknowledge God, in all your plans and expectations, and he will be able to reach you.

Honesty with Self and God

We cannot hide anything from God, but we can deceive ourselves. It is an uncomfortable thing to look at yourself; to really look when there is a feeling that you'll see what you don't want to see. However, there are things you need to learn about yourself; you can't be honest with God, if you can't be honest with yourself.

Once you see something that you need to change, there sometimes exists a resistance to pray to God about it. He already sees it. He's seen it before you did. He saw it when he went to the cross.

An important step to trusting God, is letting go of any notion of hiding anything from Him. Commit to searching your heart, being honest with yourself, and being honest with God.