Just as I am (Part 1): Why is it so hard to be Vulnerable in Church?

The piano beckoned, as the choir sang, and the minister seemed to be calling my name personally. The words of the beloved hymn invited me forward, “Just as I am.” My heart melted in the warm embrace of coming forward to give my life to Jesus. The whole congregation seemed to be cheering me on. Can you recall a similar moment in your own life?

Many of us have had a moment such as this, where we pushed past inner wrestling with our fear and shame to receive the gift of Christ’ embrace. These moments literally changed our lives. Every believer has a grid for this internally, where we’ve crossed over that river of self-reliance and acknowledged our sin, brokenness, and total need for God.

Our desperate need was met by the open arms of our Father. In that moment we found love in a way that we never had before. Not only were we set free from sin, but through this spiritual encounter we felt the tangible experience of love.

From the moment of our births, God hard wired us with a deep need for connection. “It is not good for man to be alone” (Genesis 2:28). Connection with God is vital, and we also need connection with other humans. We are born into this world looking for someone to hold us and comfort us in our moments of deepest need. We are looking for the tangible experience of…