The Lord wants to be your protector, but He can’t if you are busy trying to protect yourself.

He also wants to be your healer. But He can’t heal you if you are trying to heal yourself.

God didn’t promise that you would never get hurt, but He promised to heal you if you come to Him rather than trying to take care of everything on your own.

So much holds us back from being honest with ourselves, God and others. Sometimes it is pride, sometimes fear. A friend of mine (very outwardly confident and beautiful) admitted to both of those very things today.

There is a lot that seeks to hold us back; a lot that tries to weigh us down. We are not meant to shoulder it alone but with the help of God (and our friends).

Sometimes we make the mistake of saying, ‘No one can hurt me if I don’t let anyone get close to me.’ But my experience is that this simply doesn’t work. The wall we’ve built up to keep others out has ended up locking us in!

There is real freedom in vulnerability.

I have known our friends Ian and Jen for 20 years. There is nothing hidden from them. They know pretty much all there is to know – even things I would have preferred to keep hidden! Deep trust built up over years and years has meant I can be myself (flaws and fears and all) with them. I am confident they love me anyway.

This kind of friendship is the basis of much true healing in my life. I pray that it is similarly so for you and that you have the miracle of loving Christian friends walking next to you.