A Case of the Wobbles

When our boys were little many afternoons were spent wandering the aisles of Toys R Us.  No matter where we visited – even overseas - those giant yellow letters would freakishly magnetise our children to them. Back in those days, when filling a few hours with a content child was the main objective of any day, I could have told you about all the latest toys and games.  Our boys were huge Lego, Thomas, Action Man, Play Mobile fans – but one of my own personal favorites was a village of little people with rounded bottoms called the Weebles. The Weebles are funny little people with no legs that simply wobble side to side to get around their Weeble World to the strapline of; “The Weebles wobble but they won’t fall down”. 

I feel like a weeble sometimes!  I know what it feels like to wobble on the inside when life gets tough or fears and insecurities swirl.  I used to worry it was only me that this happened to.  It seemed to me all other Christians had life perfectly together and were rock solid on the inside, at every moment always trusting God and being strong for Him.  Over the years, I’ve learnt two things about having the wobbles. 

One, we all have a case of the wobbles at different times in our lives. None of us have it perfectly together and the enemy delights in making us feel we are the only ones who aren’t able to be fantastic all the time.  If we think we are the only ones who struggle then we hide our wobbles, our weaknesses, and our struggles deep on the inside, making it harder to know freedom and healing in our hearts. 

Two, God accepts us, loves us and knows all about our wobbliness.  He isn’t at a distance waiting for us to fix ourselves and make ourselves sturdy, so that then we can come to Him.  God wants to help us right in the midst of our wobbles and bring His strength, His security, His truth and His love.  ‘My grace is all you need.  My power works best in weakness’ (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

We can come to the Lord and bring all the wobbles of our hearts with no shame or fear of being rejected.  We can admit to Him that we’re struggling, and ask Him to help us right in the midst of all that we’re wrestling with, no matter what it is.  When we come to the Lord with our wobbles – our anxieties, fears, insecurities, doubts, disappointments, and weaknesses – we’re coming to the One who knows us so deeply and intimately.  Our Father God who made us, sent His son for us and He cheers us on as we run this race of following Him in our lives. 
 
Having the wobbles isn’t nice, but rather than hiding our weaknesses, we can learn a new way of bringing our needs to the Lord with a boldness and confidence that comes from knowing we’re coming to our Father God who accepts us.  We don’t have to fix ourselves, but can instead recognise our need of His help and His touch.  As we do this, over time, we find those wobbly places become strong places in our hearts. Instead of fear, insecurity and weakness we know more of the character of God – more of His trustworthiness, faithfulness, care and strength. What used to be wobbliness becomes strong and secure.  Jesus came for this very reason. He came to help all of us who wobble, and to make the wobbly places strong!  Or, in the much more profound words of Isaiah 61 - He came to rebuild ancient ruins, bring beauty from ashes and restore cities destroyed long ago!

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I come to you just as I am.  I come with all the wobbly places of my heart that need Your strength and Your love. Please will You meet me at my place of need and speak Your truth and Your love into my heart. I’m sorry for hiding these places in my heart from You and thinking I had to fix them myself, or simply being so ashamed of my need.  Lord, please will You work in my life and meet me where I’m at.  I love You, Lord Jesus, and thank You for dying for me, that I can truly know You and be known by You.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.