Saturday, May 7, 2011

No Restraints

I couldn't sleep last night so I pulled out my Bible hoping I could find something inspirational. Hmmm It sounds silly, because the whole book is pretty inspirational. Anyway, it turns out I came across 1 John 4:17-21.  I read in the message version because I can relate to it so much more. The part that struck me says,
"There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life, - fear of death, fear of judgment - is one not yet fully formed in love." 
Wow! I can completely relate to that! I fear a lot of things. My last blog was about fear. It's scary to think that my fear is keeping me from loving fully. The other part that got me was,
"If [I] won't love the person [I] can see, how can [I] love the God [I] can't see?" 
That's really profound to me. If I can't love the people I am with, how can I fully love God? God says to do both. And Man, that's hard sometimes. I want to love unconditionally, and without restraints.

Then today, I struggled with the question how? God tells me to love everybody. So what happens when I don't know how to love someone? What happens when I don't know what a person needs? How can I know how to love them fully, without restraint? I can love them how I feel like they might need it. But what if that's not how they need love? What if that's not enough?

Hmmm, I guess all of these questions come from fear. I'm afraid of not doing enough. Not being enough. Not showing love enough.

God, help me to love... without restraints... without fear.

4 comments:

  1. love, fear... all things that we struggle with... all valid. all tough.
    i liked this!

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  2. Beautiful Lisa.... Oh how I want to love Him - know Him - love others fully and be fearless as well. ...things that have been on my mind too. "He who began the good work in you will be faithful to complete it." - - it's His work. We sit here as the clay. Mold us Jesus! Let us sit in Your sun shine so we can soak You in. Then shine out. How? I don't know... It's Your miracle work. Help us to wait patiently on You - to work in and through us. Lisa - He's at work in you. I am the recipient. I love you back! aunt nw

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  3. Lisa! THis verse brought me so much hope today! I want you to know you aren't the only one that fears. I get so frustrated with my fear I want to punch it in the face. It is so silly. Yet It is so real. real enough that it can't be taken down by violence. Thanks for sharing. Glad I stumbled upon this today :)

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  4. I'm glad I accidentally clicked on this. (My teacher's website is mangosandbananas. haha.) It gave me hope and truth that I'm not alone.
    Thanks for the inspiration! Fear, I can and WILL slap you in the face with the help of the Lord.

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