Life is Precious and Short

I was on Facebook last night and a friend of mine had posted a comment. I'm going to paraphrase part of it. "We are meant to live God-sized lives. Life is short and precious. Don't live life afraid!" That really hit a chord with me. I began to wonder what I'm not living because I'm afraid. Some of you who read this and know me may be thinking, "I didn't know you were afraid of anything. You kill spiders with the best of them. You sleep in pitch black. You eat strange food. . ."

Guess what? I am afraid. I'm afraid of letting people down. I'm afraid of disappointing people. I'm afraid to touch on hard subjects because I might offend someone. I'm afraid to love because there might be hurt. I'm afraid to let go because I don't know where I'm going to fall. I'm afraid to take chances because I don't know the logical end. I'm afraid to be me, because you might not like me (you being general public, no one specifically). Am I afraid? Absolutely. But guess what? Life is short and precious. A vapor. What am I wasting by living afraid? What am I missing?

Why am I afraid? The King of Kings and Lord of Lords knows my name. The author of life wants me to call Him "Daddy." He chose me as His very own. He didn't wait for me to choose Him. He didn't ask me to make a choice - He knew I couldn't. He chose me. And I'm afraid because ?????

http://youtu.be/S0cMVmr11bY - I'm not exactly sure on an iPad how to change the link to the name of a song, but this is Sidewalk Prophets "Live Like That."

"I want to live like that, and give it all I have so that everything I say and do points to You. If love is who I am, then this is where I'll stand, recklessly abandoned never holding back. I want to live like that." 

So many great lyrics in this song. I think though, maybe living that God-sized life has a lot to do with living unafraid and living love. Am I going to do great big,noticeable things? I don't know. But honestly, I don't know that I want to. Mother Teresa said, "Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love." Great things meaning those things that the world sees as great. But is what I'm doing showing greatness because of the great love for my King? Am I doing what He's called me to do? Am I being who He created me to be? Am I reaching out to the people He has placed in my life to love with His love? Or am I living my life afraid?

If I am whose I say I am - then why is there any fear? "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear." I John 4:18a. Thought - if there is no fear in perfect love, then am I afraid of being loved perfectly? Think about it - from whom does perfect love come? God right? So am I afraid to let Him love me perfectly? Punch in the gut. Is that what I'm saying, "God, I don't want all Your love. I don't want all Your grace. I don't want all of You. I don't want You to have all of me." Is that what I'm saying living afraid? Ouch - ok, uncle. 

I'm tired of living afraid. I'm tired of living my life to "keep the peace." I'm tired of trying to do and be the "right" person so you'll like me. (Again you general public). I don't want to hurt anyone, but I don't want to be afraid of living who He has called me to be because I might hurt you (general public). If I accept His perfect love for me, I will live His perfect love. But His perfect love wasn't always peaceful and easy. Am I willing to let go - to not be afraid and accept that life isn't meant to always be peaceful and easy? Am I willing to live my life knowing He's the only one who truly matters anyway? If I'm living, pointing to Him in all I say and do, then I'm living His love and I'm living unafraid. And that sounds like a very good way to live. 

Life is short and precious. Don't live life afraid!