Fitting, this picture is.
Hello lovely readers! My my it has been a while! But God has been busy in all of our lives, has he not? Ups, downs, good and bad, thick and thin He's been there. It is my sincerest hope that all of you have had an even better few months than I have.
There have been MANY ups and downs, but all of them have made me who I am, just as yours have done for you. I am thankful for all of them that I have received, and am so glad to have been blessed with the life I have to live.
One of the ups was an INCREDIBLE weekend with amazing friends and a reminder of my own worth, and the worth of everyone around me. God reminded me that He works in everyone, and loves us all sooo much.
Another was getting to see the movie Maleficent today. If you haven't seen it, I recommend it. It sparked tonight's conversation....
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Being Afraid: How Fear Can Distort Our Lives
Maleficent is a beautiful movie about how fear can drive people to do terrible things, and how love can help heal that. Without spoiling too much, Maleficent is hurt by the fear of the king, and so she turns to hurt others. The movie was WONDERFUL and I was enchanted the whole time. But even more than that I was thinking about what started it all. It was fear. The king was not necessarily a bad man (the one at the beginning of the movie, not Stefan... again all I can say without spoilers). He wanted to protect his kingdom from a perceived threat. But his pride (but pride is a separate post entirely) and his fear of what MIGHT lay in the mysterious other kingdom lead him to do terrible things. And that got me thinking.
Fear is one of the worst things in the world because it comes from ourselves, and it can completely destroy people. It takes perfectly good people and hurts them in two ways: either in hiding or in lashing out.
First let's talk about lashing out. Think of when you were a kid. Wasn't it the case that often times the kid that was the most bullied was the one that was most different? In high school, wasn't it always best to stick in, because if you stuck out too much you might be attacked too? People fear greatness. They fear being outdone; they fear being made to feel inadequate; they fear people who dare to be themselves; they fear people who are truly happy. I'm not saying that all people do this, or even most people, but simply that there are people out there who do this. They aren't necessarily bad people. In fact many of them might be what one considers good. They simply are afraid, and fear can make people do crazy things. It makes some people get very defensive, so to put up walls around themselves they put down others.
Then there's the other spectrum of fear which is just as harmful. Fear can also cause people to hide. They hide how different they are for fear of being hurt. They hide their love for fear of being rejected. They hide their hope for fear of being laughed at. They hide their uniqueness for fear of not being accepted. They sacrifice being who they are for the safety of being ordinary. They are so afraid of what others think and maybe even of themselves that they choose to hide who and what they are to avoid any conflict.
Neither of these is what God wants, and both are damaging. Both hurt others, and both hurt ourselves. And if we are really honest, at some point or another in our lives, we are guilty of both. When we judge others just by looking at them, or when we don't do something for fear of being judged, we act on these. Fear is a problem because it is incompatible with love. I don't mean to say that you are never afraid when you're in love. Love is a terribly scary thing. Love doesn't require the absence of fear. Rather, love requires doing what's right despite fear. Acting on fear distorts because it leaves no room for love. When we leave no room for love, the source of all beauty and truth (As Love Himself created everything), we leave only room for hatred - either of ourselves or of others.
I was really guilty of the second one for a long time. I don't like sharing myself with others because I am afraid that I won't be wanted, needed, or loved. I know in my heart it's ridiculous, and yet I still find myself acting on this fear time and time again. This weekend God sent me a reminder that I should not be afraid. With a group of awesome friends I was once again reminded that fear is not a way to live, and God wants us to be happy. Then Sunday was Pentecost. The apostles were all afraid, but then Jesus told them to "Be not afraid.". But they were still afraid. Then He sent His spirit upon them, and they were filled with courage and spread the Word throughout the world. This was God's reminder that even the best of people become afraid, but that love is so much stronger than fear. When we choose to love, then the fear doesn't matter anymore, even if it doesn't leave.
Fear means a lack of trust. It means a lack of trust in God's love and plan for you. Why shouldn't we trust the One who is Love, and who never stops thinking of us? It is kind of proud. And yet we do it all the time! Fear is saying "I know you got plans, but I still don't quite like them, so I'll try mine." I know that it's hard. Believe me, I'm no better than anyone else. But when we choose to trust God, Love conquers fear, and life can be lived to the absolute fullest. And let me tell you my friends, Love is so much better.
Don't be afraid, be not afraid. Variations of this are found all over the Bible. God is obviously trying to tell us that we don't need it. He made us perfect, even in our imperfections, and loves us just as we are. He wants us to love ourselves, and each other, that way too. He wants us to look at each other and see Him. We are one body, and we are His body, and when we live without fear - when we live in love - we allow everyone to live to the fullest.
So be not afraid. Live in love. You were made to live.
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The verse for tonight is Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen you, and help you, and uphold you with my right hand of justice."
I don't think anything else needs to be added.
... Except maybe a song!
"I'm On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons
And I know it’s hard when you’re falling down
And it’s a long way up when you hit the ground
Get up now, get up, get up now.
‘Cause I’m on top of the world, ‘ay
I’m on top of the world, ‘ay
Waiting on this for a while now
Paying my dues to the dirt
I’ve been waiting to smile, ‘ay
Been holding it in for a while, ‘ay
Take you with me if I can
Been dreaming of this since a child
I’m on top of the world.
Live life on top of the world. There's nothing to fear! You are perfect just the way you are! You are wanted, needed, loved, necessary, and irreplaceable!
I love you all, and I'm praying for you.
Until next time,
~Wanted~
Fear is one of the worst things in the world because it comes from ourselves, and it can completely destroy people. It takes perfectly good people and hurts them in two ways: either in hiding or in lashing out.
First let's talk about lashing out. Think of when you were a kid. Wasn't it the case that often times the kid that was the most bullied was the one that was most different? In high school, wasn't it always best to stick in, because if you stuck out too much you might be attacked too? People fear greatness. They fear being outdone; they fear being made to feel inadequate; they fear people who dare to be themselves; they fear people who are truly happy. I'm not saying that all people do this, or even most people, but simply that there are people out there who do this. They aren't necessarily bad people. In fact many of them might be what one considers good. They simply are afraid, and fear can make people do crazy things. It makes some people get very defensive, so to put up walls around themselves they put down others.
Then there's the other spectrum of fear which is just as harmful. Fear can also cause people to hide. They hide how different they are for fear of being hurt. They hide their love for fear of being rejected. They hide their hope for fear of being laughed at. They hide their uniqueness for fear of not being accepted. They sacrifice being who they are for the safety of being ordinary. They are so afraid of what others think and maybe even of themselves that they choose to hide who and what they are to avoid any conflict.
Neither of these is what God wants, and both are damaging. Both hurt others, and both hurt ourselves. And if we are really honest, at some point or another in our lives, we are guilty of both. When we judge others just by looking at them, or when we don't do something for fear of being judged, we act on these. Fear is a problem because it is incompatible with love. I don't mean to say that you are never afraid when you're in love. Love is a terribly scary thing. Love doesn't require the absence of fear. Rather, love requires doing what's right despite fear. Acting on fear distorts because it leaves no room for love. When we leave no room for love, the source of all beauty and truth (As Love Himself created everything), we leave only room for hatred - either of ourselves or of others.
I was really guilty of the second one for a long time. I don't like sharing myself with others because I am afraid that I won't be wanted, needed, or loved. I know in my heart it's ridiculous, and yet I still find myself acting on this fear time and time again. This weekend God sent me a reminder that I should not be afraid. With a group of awesome friends I was once again reminded that fear is not a way to live, and God wants us to be happy. Then Sunday was Pentecost. The apostles were all afraid, but then Jesus told them to "Be not afraid.". But they were still afraid. Then He sent His spirit upon them, and they were filled with courage and spread the Word throughout the world. This was God's reminder that even the best of people become afraid, but that love is so much stronger than fear. When we choose to love, then the fear doesn't matter anymore, even if it doesn't leave.
Fear means a lack of trust. It means a lack of trust in God's love and plan for you. Why shouldn't we trust the One who is Love, and who never stops thinking of us? It is kind of proud. And yet we do it all the time! Fear is saying "I know you got plans, but I still don't quite like them, so I'll try mine." I know that it's hard. Believe me, I'm no better than anyone else. But when we choose to trust God, Love conquers fear, and life can be lived to the absolute fullest. And let me tell you my friends, Love is so much better.
Don't be afraid, be not afraid. Variations of this are found all over the Bible. God is obviously trying to tell us that we don't need it. He made us perfect, even in our imperfections, and loves us just as we are. He wants us to love ourselves, and each other, that way too. He wants us to look at each other and see Him. We are one body, and we are His body, and when we live without fear - when we live in love - we allow everyone to live to the fullest.
So be not afraid. Live in love. You were made to live.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The verse for tonight is Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not, I am with you; be not dismayed; I am your God. I will strengthen you, and help you, and uphold you with my right hand of justice."
I don't think anything else needs to be added.
... Except maybe a song!
"I'm On Top of the World" by Imagine Dragons
And I know it’s hard when you’re falling down
And it’s a long way up when you hit the ground
Get up now, get up, get up now.
‘Cause I’m on top of the world, ‘ay
I’m on top of the world, ‘ay
Waiting on this for a while now
Paying my dues to the dirt
I’ve been waiting to smile, ‘ay
Been holding it in for a while, ‘ay
Take you with me if I can
Been dreaming of this since a child
I’m on top of the world.
Live life on top of the world. There's nothing to fear! You are perfect just the way you are! You are wanted, needed, loved, necessary, and irreplaceable!
I love you all, and I'm praying for you.
Until next time,
~Wanted~
