In Elisabeth Elliot's book "The Pathway of Loneliness", she writes about how the "great risk of great lovers" is the vulnerability, the trust, and the ability to hurt. I have been contemplating these three concepts over the course of the past week as the heartache of loneliness and distrust has crept into my soul.
The word vulnerable means to be: open to attack or susceptible to being wounded or hurt; difficult to defend.
The word trust means to be: reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, surety of a person or thing; confidence, hope, credit, on whom one relies.
The word hurt means: to suffer, to feel pain, to cause injury.
How often have I heard friends, family, authors, speakers, and even my own soul whisper the question "doesn't God want me to be happy?" But no where in the Word, does God speak of promising me happiness. Instead He asks me to expect trials, persecution, and temptation. The question God has lodged deep within my soul is, "Will you trust Me?" even in the midst of pain, of hurt, or of loneliness. How often do I feel like the children of Israel when they wandered the desert, distrusting the heart of God, and longing for days of comfort. To trust God is to be vulnerable; to be open to hurt or pain. Will I ever be able to trust Him the way I long to?
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