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Velveteen Rabbit – More than Just a Children’s Story
The vulnerability you genuinely fear keeps you from the very thing you yearn for, to love and be loved, and to know and be known.
The classic children’s story, The Velveteen Principles, speaks to what it takes to become real. Whether we experience trauma, loss, or everyday challenges and struggles, we all have the choice about how to respond to live a life of honesty and integrity.
The following sample of dialogue between the Skin Horse and the Rabbit expresses the reality of the process necessary to become our true selves:
“[Becoming real] is a thing that happens when a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real,” said the Skin Horse.
“Doesn’t it hurt?” Rabbit inquired.
“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real, you don’t mind being hurt.”
“Does it happen all at once,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”
“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But those things don’t matter at all, because once you are real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.”
Like this fairytale, embracing the depth of God’s love is the key to becoming authentic and enjoying life as intended. It gives us the courage we need to address anything standing in our way; anything that hinders our destiny. And even though becoming vulnerable can hurt and take time, it is worth it.
Healing requires us to walk through pain instead of avoiding it. Though uncomfortable, pain is a doorway to deeper freedom and a step toward recovering who we were created to be.
I Invite You to Ask Yourself:
- What pain have I tried to escape or numb?
- What impact has avoiding vulnerability had on me in the long term?
- What would it look like to bring my pain honestly before God?
I Invite You to Pray:
Lord, help me not to run from pain but to walk through it with You, knowing You will never leave me. Please allow me to feel Your presence as I delve deeper into any past experiences that You would like me to heal. I know that it is in my best interest because You want me to experience the joy of restoring my soul. Please give me the courage I need to be vulnerable and process any pain that holds me back. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
About this Plan
Do you identify with "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak?" If so, you're not alone. This 30-day Bible reading plan focuses on how to partner with God to restore our souls. We can renew our minds, submit our wills (submit isn't as scary a word as you might think), and heal our emotions. I invite you to join me in learning to walk more fully in the Spirit, instead of being governed by our flesh. Your limitless life awaits!
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