Testing the Waters

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 8:38-39

The fear of getting hurt can be a powerful driving force in life. There are many times that, through the voice of our previous bad experiences, we shy away from situations that look potentially difficult or damaging. There are many fears that drive our choices, behaviors, and attitudes. Some of them are healthy and some of them, over time and if we allow them to, will cripple us.

Fear of rejection; fear of not being accepted or loved for who we truly are; fear of disappointing someone or being disappointed ourselves; these are all powerful influences on our psyche and affect the way that we interact with other people and can affect the way that we approach God. Our self image tends to define the behaviors and attitudes that we expect to find in other people. Our expectations of other people can begin to define our image of God and our understanding of what God expects from us.

Those who have felt unloved by other people, who have felt that they have had to work for the affection of others, can tend to approach God with the idea and the expectation that God only values and expects their service instead of who they are. They may be timid in approaching God and, trying to protect themselves, are only willing to test the waters in an attempt to see if God will respond. What they are looking for is some positive affirmation, some response, that shows that God values them in a real and tangible way. Even when God responds with the fulness of His love, His response is evaluated in the context of the previous human experiences and pain.

Our primary error here is in allowing our experiences in this life - our hurts, our disappointments, our fears, our insecurities - to define our image of God. Instead we must allow our intimate relationship with God to heal us of all our past and present hurts, disappointments, fears, and insecurities.  Our worth is not defined by what we do or by what others think of us. It is not defined by our material possessions, our physical appearance, or our abilities. It is through God's love for us alone that we find our true worth.

God created and designed you. He knows every dark part of your past and present and He loves you for exactly who you are. You are God's original and priceless masterpiece (Ephesians 2:10) that he continues to shape and form as you draw closer to Him.  Are you timidly approaching God, afraid that your past is too much for Him or that you are simply not good enough? Never allow your past experiences to define God but rather let God define you through His immense and boundless love. It is by defining ourselves through His eyes that we begin to find the strength and gain the perspective to deal with all of our natural fears and doubts.

The Lord your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy. ~Zephaniah 3:17     

(photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlieeclark/6116522556/)