I wasn’t sure exactly when I was going to post this, but it seems fitting on Easter Sunday, so here goes.
I received the potential of terrifying news a couple of weeks ago. I’ll be honest and tell you that it rocked my world. I’m not proud of how deeply it affected me, but I remind myself we’re all human and things hit us all differently. Over the past couple of weeks, I did everything I knew to do in order to live in peace. There were some physical issues going on, but in reality, it was a battle in the mind that I went through. Fear can be crippling, but we don’t have to allow it to remain. I’m so thankful for the close relationships in my life that held me up when I struggled to hold myself up.
I did eventually receive good news regarding the situation, to which I am very thankful! Before the good news came though, I was processing through writing and listening to music. Those are both things that really help to bring me back to the place of peace. I was listening to the song ‘No Longer Slaves’ and the main line of the song just jumped out at me and I felt fear break. The lyrics are: I’m no longer a slave to fear, I am a child of God. Of course, I’ve heard and known that for ages, but a new, deeper reality hit me in that moment. This is what I wrote that day:
Has fear enslaved you? It has enslaved me for years. Today I make a choice to step out of the shackles. I will continually choose to be free. Perfect love casts out fear. I am the image and likeness of perfect love. Fear and perfect love cannot abide together. I let go of fear and I cling to perfect love. Perfect love is my true identity.
Somewhere along the story of my life, fear shackled me. The thing with fear is that for the most part it is quiet, and you would almost think it wasn’t there until something happens and it rears its ugly head. This week, when it reared its ugly head, I realized I’ve been a slave to it without even realizing it. Recognizing it is the first step to freedom. I am free. With freedom comes the boldness I’ve always known was inside me, I was just too afraid to let it out. There were moments here and there that it popped out, but not for long. Well, watch out, because I am no longer a slave to fear which means that boldness – BOLD LOVE – will be seen even more. There’s a lion inside of me. I am loosing the lion today. The boldness of a lion is seen in multiple ways. Sometimes it’s the loud roar, while other times it’s the peaceful resting. It is whatever it needs to be in the moment.
I know peace is a huge revelation in my life and that is what people draw from me the most. I also know it’s been a fight in the past and this was another fight. It’s a battle over my identity in peace. I am peace!
I feel a new boldness rising. The lion inside will be heard. I’ve quieted the lion for too long. I’ve been afraid to let it out, afraid of what others with think, afraid I’m not good enough and don’t measure up, just plain afraid. I refuse to let it stop me anymore. This is an area I’m choosing to step out of the grave. What is holding you back today? I encourage you to step out of the grave. It’s our own minds that trap us there. In reality we are free. Jesus made sure of that. The question is, are we living in that freedom?
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