Something New

The word courage is often used of those who are performing noble acts, like those who put themselves in the face of danger for others. But I would say that we, in our normal and simple lives are at rare and crucial times faced with the opportunity to be courageous. Those of us who have it easy, who can sit at home on a hot day in the air conditioning and write on their laptops- sometimes, at very great moments in life, are faced with the chance in our hearts to be more than we have ever been. Some people fight battles that are seen by all, but there are those of us whose greatest battles will always be in our hearts. Today I came to understand that freedom and courage are outcomes of that battle. We spend so much time hiding little bits of who we are, fooling ourselves into believing that we are something better than what we see when we take a peek inside. We think we know what or who will make our hearts happy and we become slaves to it until one day, we are faced with a decision to either continue under that toxic weight, or to somehow find the courage inside to go on without it. A person in such a battle will find it takes courage to, not just peek into new doors of your heart, but to swing the door open wide knowing that what comes out is worthwhile, no matter what you may have come to believe. The times when these thoughts hit you fully, the tears of freedom begin to flow and suddenly you are free to be just who you are, no longer trapped by the lie that you are anything other than what God says you are, be it better or worse. God has called us His children and that is final. If facing your true self is new to you, then some of it may be scary, but no longer will the thought of what other people think of those scary bits control you, for you know that your happiness is not bound in what they think of you and as a matter of fact, is not bound in anything but God's love. And that is one boundary of which we can be glad! And then there it is- you are released. The courage it takes to experience this freedom was much, but in the end, it is well worth the battle.