Love and Appearances
How often has fear stopped us from being exactly who we are?
Doing exactly what we feel or wish?
Saying, exactly what we mean, in a moment?
Why are the thoughts and judgements of others so seemingly important?
In so many ways we are creatures of community. We need mutual understanding, we need love, we need conversations and chances to live life together. It encourages us, challenges us and moves us to be surrounded by friends, family; those we dearly love.
So on one hand, it should be the thoughts of those who know us deeply that truly matter! And yet more often then not, it's those we wish to be close to, those we ache to be known by, that come to effect our self views. Why? Why is there fear in wanting to be known?
In these past two weeks my heart has felt a change. God's joy is in me, his hope, his truth, his love. I feel as though heaven opened at the words of a friend, and in that moment Jesus poured into me. I have been ravished by the love of Christ and want nothing more then to dance my way into the hearts of those around me, so that I can speak into their lives the power and grace that comes from Christ alone! I want my joy in Christ and my deep love of God to be what sets me apart, what makes me smile, what fills me with a warmth that can't help but cascade into those around me.
And yet still I am stopped dead in my tracks, fearful of the thoughts of others towards me. Especially men I care about! This comes from my family...growing up I had to be liked, to be accepted, I had to smile, I had to prove my happiness by way of never being unhappy. So as a young adult I fear the rejection of others, I fear negative thoughts, I fear the creation of an enemy by way of a simple misunderstanding, something that happened often with my father. Just as I used to fear rejection of God. My mind, and the enemy, still have me believing that in a single moment, in a single visit, the love, trust and friendship of someone can be lost, changed or reversed.
Isn't it amazing the capacity the enemy has for lies? How simple joy and deep friendships can be skewed or doubted because some destructive thought crosses my mind in a moment when my heart is vulnerable? Yet I can be sure of this; God's love is not withheld, stopped or even deterred by anything, nothing the world throws at me, and absolutely nothing the enemy puts in my way. God's love is not conditional. And that lesson is spilling over into other relationships. Friendship is not easily lost, neither is trust or deep care. So in all relationships I give up my fear and hand my hopes to the Lord, because it is only in his hands that any relationship will flourish.
God is good, and he comes to heal, never to harm. So I'll choose to bask in this truth and give thanks to God, especially in those moments of fear and aching. If my heart is in Christ, if my identity is found in God alone, then all the beautiful aspects of his masterpiece (me) will shine all the brighter for being bathed in the loving and revealing light of God's grace and peace! So watch out world, I am a Daughter of the most high! Let's dance in his light together, let's be fools for Christ, that the world may know the freedom found in complete and utter surrender!!
Lovingly and joyfully yours,
~Andrea Christine
Doing exactly what we feel or wish?
Saying, exactly what we mean, in a moment?
Why are the thoughts and judgements of others so seemingly important?
In so many ways we are creatures of community. We need mutual understanding, we need love, we need conversations and chances to live life together. It encourages us, challenges us and moves us to be surrounded by friends, family; those we dearly love.
So on one hand, it should be the thoughts of those who know us deeply that truly matter! And yet more often then not, it's those we wish to be close to, those we ache to be known by, that come to effect our self views. Why? Why is there fear in wanting to be known?
In these past two weeks my heart has felt a change. God's joy is in me, his hope, his truth, his love. I feel as though heaven opened at the words of a friend, and in that moment Jesus poured into me. I have been ravished by the love of Christ and want nothing more then to dance my way into the hearts of those around me, so that I can speak into their lives the power and grace that comes from Christ alone! I want my joy in Christ and my deep love of God to be what sets me apart, what makes me smile, what fills me with a warmth that can't help but cascade into those around me.
And yet still I am stopped dead in my tracks, fearful of the thoughts of others towards me. Especially men I care about! This comes from my family...growing up I had to be liked, to be accepted, I had to smile, I had to prove my happiness by way of never being unhappy. So as a young adult I fear the rejection of others, I fear negative thoughts, I fear the creation of an enemy by way of a simple misunderstanding, something that happened often with my father. Just as I used to fear rejection of God. My mind, and the enemy, still have me believing that in a single moment, in a single visit, the love, trust and friendship of someone can be lost, changed or reversed.
Isn't it amazing the capacity the enemy has for lies? How simple joy and deep friendships can be skewed or doubted because some destructive thought crosses my mind in a moment when my heart is vulnerable? Yet I can be sure of this; God's love is not withheld, stopped or even deterred by anything, nothing the world throws at me, and absolutely nothing the enemy puts in my way. God's love is not conditional. And that lesson is spilling over into other relationships. Friendship is not easily lost, neither is trust or deep care. So in all relationships I give up my fear and hand my hopes to the Lord, because it is only in his hands that any relationship will flourish.
God is good, and he comes to heal, never to harm. So I'll choose to bask in this truth and give thanks to God, especially in those moments of fear and aching. If my heart is in Christ, if my identity is found in God alone, then all the beautiful aspects of his masterpiece (me) will shine all the brighter for being bathed in the loving and revealing light of God's grace and peace! So watch out world, I am a Daughter of the most high! Let's dance in his light together, let's be fools for Christ, that the world may know the freedom found in complete and utter surrender!!
Lovingly and joyfully yours,
~Andrea Christine
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