Even with the sunshine, winter felt long in some ways, as I've spent the last several months processing different ideas and trying to figure out what it means to live what I believe, knowing what is worth fighting for and what things I need to let go of. It will be a lifelong battle to engage, but I refuse to lose it to apathy, fear or believing that I'm alone in this struggle.
Fear.
It can be so gripping.
I've written about it before, but it's visited me lately more than I care to admit. There have been reminders that it doesn't have to paralyze me, from sermons to status updates on facebook. Those things are not what draw me out of it though.
Perfect love casts out all fear.
"Love protects, defends, restores, and empowers."
This is a mantra that has been in front of me lately, and to be honest, I've had some trouble with it. I get the protects, defends, and restores part, but I've had issue with the word empowers. What does that mean? Empowers for what?
To cast out fear.
To not live by it.
Love empowers us to act in ways that we cannot on our own. When I'm stuck in my fear, it's always the love of someone from the Body of Christ that helps break me free from it. So often in recent days I have been shown how loved I am.
I am loved.
Wow.
It's one thing to hear it, it's quite another to see it.
Because I am loved, I don't have to fear the what ifs that plague me.
Love empowers.
Because with it comes responsibility. When others give you their full support and love, you want to do well by them. You want to live in ways that you didn't realize you were capable of. Not for yourself but for the sake of others. We can love and live beyond fear because we were all loved first.
Thank you, Jesus, for your perfect love that frees us from the bondage of fear.
Fear.
It can be so gripping.
I've written about it before, but it's visited me lately more than I care to admit. There have been reminders that it doesn't have to paralyze me, from sermons to status updates on facebook. Those things are not what draw me out of it though.
Perfect love casts out all fear.
"Love protects, defends, restores, and empowers."
This is a mantra that has been in front of me lately, and to be honest, I've had some trouble with it. I get the protects, defends, and restores part, but I've had issue with the word empowers. What does that mean? Empowers for what?
To cast out fear.
To not live by it.
Love empowers us to act in ways that we cannot on our own. When I'm stuck in my fear, it's always the love of someone from the Body of Christ that helps break me free from it. So often in recent days I have been shown how loved I am.
I am loved.
Wow.
It's one thing to hear it, it's quite another to see it.
Because I am loved, I don't have to fear the what ifs that plague me.
Love empowers.
Because with it comes responsibility. When others give you their full support and love, you want to do well by them. You want to live in ways that you didn't realize you were capable of. Not for yourself but for the sake of others. We can love and live beyond fear because we were all loved first.
Thank you, Jesus, for your perfect love that frees us from the bondage of fear.
2 comments:
loved this, kel. as you know, fear is a constant battle for me. constant. it has only intensified as a wife and a mom... i get so fearful of losing one of my most precious loves! so i can relate to you so well. just wanted to remind you that you're not alone! and god gives grace for every moment; even the ones that we never thought we could handle. i've been thinking about this a lot lately; i might need to blog soon ;)
Thanks Meg. Really appreciate seeing how you've walked straight through fear in these last several months and continue to trust Christ. That's what's so hard- what we fear DOES happen sometimes- and God somehow brings us through. You've been a great example in that. Love ya, friend. :)
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