Stripped to Nothing

Posted August 9, 2021 by Jeannette Wilcock

Categories: Featured, Jeannette, Sister Post

I stood in the shower stripped and washed from head to toe with the liquid soap I was given to prepare me for brain surgery the next morning. As the red tinged suds rolled over my skin I knew there was nothing more I could do, so I turned everything completely over to God. The tumor had grown so large it was pressing on the motor skills area in my brain and causing me to lose function on the right side of my body.

I had always found confidence and strength in creating beauty for myself and others but I had no strength or confidence now. This was a devastating time for me, but also a beautiful opportunity to cling to God in my time of need.

For too many years, I relied heavily on my own strength and abilities. What started out as innocent attraction and creative ability led to a dependence and leaning into the need to look and be perfect. I had grown to believe my worth was based on my appearance and accomplishments. I thought my world would fall apart if I slacked in any area. 

Having the right hair style and makeup provided me the confidence I needed, but wasn’t sustainable. No longer did that matter. No lotions, makeup, or hair style could fix the tumor imbedding itself on my brain, only the hands of a skilled surgeon and the power of God. You see, God wanted my heart, all of it. He wanted me to rely on him for my confidence.

You see, God wanted my heart, all of it.

Jeannette Wilcock

As my loving husband wiped me down one last time by the request of the nurse before surgery, and as I was being  pushed  on the rolling bed into the operating room, I realized how God saw me just as I am. He knew me and He loved me. Not because of my accomplishments or how good I was, but because I was His. That’s all I needed to know and that truth carried me through the surgery and the long recovery afterward.

Recognizing how God saw me when stripped to nothing has allowed me to see others as God sees them. I saw and felt for the first time all the mercy and compassion He has for each and every one of us right where we are! No amount of performance or perfection could change that. All He really wants is our hearts in relationship with Him. His heart aches for us to realize just how simple it really is. 

The moment I relinquished control and gave my heart and life back to my Creator was the moment He filled me with His peace. That stripped down to nothing feeling was what allowed me to be clothed in Christ.

That stripped down to nothing feeling was what allowed me to be clothed in Christ.

Jeannette Wilcock

The tumor didn’t just go away and I wasn’t spared the pain and struggle of the effects of what I was going through, but I had a sense of God’s presence in my life like I had never experienced before. I will aways remember this time with my God and know He is never far from me as long as I am willing to let go and allow Him to take care of me.

Are there any parts of your life you’re not allowing God to take care of? What do you need to let go of? Remember all He really wants is to love you in relationship forever.