Vulnerability: So that we may experience a more meaningful life.
“Studies suggest that the benefits of vulnerability do outweigh the risks, and the Bible supports this as well.”
What does it really mean to be vulnerable? Is it something we see as a strength or a weakness? I’m not here to tell you how to feel about it, but my guess is that, like many of us, you probably try to avoid vulnerability. It feels risky, uncomfortable. And yet, I’d also wager there have been moments when you’ve allowed yourself to be vulnerable and in doing so, you’ve ended up with deeper relationships, unexpected opportunities, or even the kind of success that would have been impossible without taking that risk. But what about the times vulnerability hasn’t worked out? The moments it has led to disappointment or hurt? Does that outweigh the times when it does succeed? Studies suggest that the benefits of vulnerability do outweigh the risks, and the Bible supports this as well.
Brené Brown is a researcher who has spent years studying the broader aspects of society, focusing on how humans behave, interact, and think about things. She looks for patterns in the research, trying to understand the deeper truths about human experience. One of her key areas of study is vulnerability, which she defines as uncertainty and feeling exposed In her research, Brown asked people to describe what they consider to be vulnerable moments. Their responses included things like "saying no," "calling a friend who’s grieving," "trying something new,” “asking for forgiveness”, “asking for help,” ”falling in love," and "having faith." Then she asked how these moments made them feel, and while the answers were varied, the most common one was “naked." From these answers, we can draw two key insights: first, vulnerability involves taking risks and stepping into uncertainty; and second, it makes us feel exposed, as if we’re standing there, vulnerable, for the world to see. So, it’s understandable that we try to avoid it. Who likes uncertainty? Who wants to feel exposed or naked?
“To experience the deeper connections we long for, we must be willing to risk the discomfort of being exposed.”
But here’s where Brené Brown’s work challenges what we instinctively do to avoid vulnerability. She reveals that the same study also reveals that vulnerability is the gateway to the very things we crave—joy, courage, and empathy. These emotions, the ones that make life meaningful, only come when we are brave enough to show up vulnerably. To experience the deeper connections we long for, we must be willing to risk the discomfort of being exposed. If we want to build meaningful relationships, we must be vulnerable with others. If we want to try something new, we have to step out of our comfort zones. And if we want to fall in love, we must open ourselves up emotionally. You can’t experience the joy of love without letting yourself be vulnerable with it. There are times when vulnerability leads to disappointment or heartache. But there are other times, when vulnerability opens the door to something beautiful: joy, empathy, and the courage to keep going. And so the question remains, if we want to experience joy, empathy, and courage, is the risk worth it?
Brené Brown points out a hard truth: when we avoid vulnerability in order to protect ourselves, we are choosing disconnection. Every time we walk away from the opportunity to be vulnerable, we close ourselves off from others. In choosing to avoid vulnerability, we’re choosing isolation over connection. And yet, God calls us to something different. He calls us to embrace vulnerability, because in it, we find the richness of true connection.
“God’s design for us is to live in community with each other, to be willing to step into the mess of life with others, even when it’s difficult.”
What does the Bible have to say about this? James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” Romans 12:15 urges us, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Galatians 6:2 tells us, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” And Proverbs 27:17 reminds us, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”These verses make it clear: the Bible calls us to live in community. But to truly bear one another’s burdens, we must be vulnerable. If we choose not to be vulnerable, we choose disconnection. God’s design for us is to live in community with each other, to be willing to step into the mess of life with others, even when it’s difficult.
Consider the story in Mark 5. A woman had been suffering from a bleeding condition for twelve years, and in a moment of deep desperation, she reached out to Jesus, believing He could heal her. She could have stayed hidden, fearful of rejection, but instead, she chose vulnerability. She reached for Jesus, and in that moment, He affirmed her, calling her “daughter.” Her vulnerability led to her healing, and Jesus responded with grace when she opened herself up to Him.
When we filter the world’s wisdom through the light of God’s truth, we begin to see something profound. The study of creation—of how God designed us and the world around us reveals His order and purpose. And when we look at Scripture, we realize that God’s design for us has been laid out in His Word long before we could see it in the world. The Bible is the ultimate guide, showing us how to live in the freedom of vulnerability, grounded in God’s love. Yet, worldly wisdom still falls short in one crucial way. There’s a depth of understanding that only comes from the Bible. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul openly shares his “thorn in the flesh,” a struggle he pleads with God to remove. Rather than hide his weakness, Paul is vulnerable with the church, inviting them into his pain. And God’s response is both powerful and humbling: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
“Our vulnerability becomes an invitation for God to work through us, to show His strength in our frailty. In a world that tells us to avoid vulnerability at all costs, God invites us to embrace it—not as a sign of weakness, but as an opportunity to experience His grace and power.”
This is where the biblical call to vulnerability becomes transformative. It’s not about mustering up the courage to be exposed on our own. It’s about relying on God’s strength. It’s about understanding that in our moments of weakness, God’s power is revealed in ways we could never imagine. Our vulnerability becomes an invitation for God to work through us, to show His strength in our frailty. In a world that tells us to avoid vulnerability at all costs, God invites us to embrace it—not as a sign of weakness, but as an opportunity to experience His grace and power. So yes, the risk is worth it. Because in our vulnerability, we find a deeper connection to God and to one another, and in that, we find the courage, joy, and empathy we were made for.
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Citation
Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
The Bible. (2016). English Standard Version (ESV). Crossway.
(Original work published 2001)
