we stood on our cages and roared
Six weeks ago I called fear's bluff. It has been six weeks since I started My Intangible Cage series. I had discovered that I lived in a cage of fear that was choking the life out of me and keeping me from living the life God intended. I unpacked the lie that fear is responsible. I chose to run instead of hide. I talked about my shame regarding who I am and the fear of failure that so often holds me back. Thanks Chris Brown for that one.
A truly beautiful thing happened. You started to come out of your cages with me. To say that I have been moved by your stories over this series would be an understatement. People dealing with fear of getting cancer, shame regarding their personalities, and others shut down by personal tragedies... to name a few. But, you are peeking out of your cages realizing that isn't what you were made for. I've been inspired by your courage and resolve.
Fear couldn't keep us down or box us in. It tried. Fear lied , manipulated and tricked us. Fear made a strong case for all the ways our cages are good. It said the bars weren't to keep us in, but to keep all the scary things "out there" far away from us. In our cages we were untouchable and safe... or so we were led to believe. Fear spoke to us in the quite moments of night before we fell asleep and in the early shadows of morning. Fear told us we are not and we cannot. But, God interrupted and told us something entirely different.
Fear told me to keep my eyes down, it is about to get ugly.
God told me to look up. The best is yet to come.
Fear told me that I am not enough and I will never be enough.
God told me that I don't have to be enough because ' I AM ' covers all my lack.
Fear handed me pounds of worry to weigh me down. Anxiety and stress regarding all of the "what ifs".
God told me to cast my cares on Him...and He will give me rest.
I have learned that an amazing thing happens when I walk out of my cage. I begin to feel life flowing through my veins again. Dreams swirl and expectation rise. A deep sensation swells within my belly and works its way up. Soon, I hear a whisper of truth come from my lips.
It is faint at first. A declaration of hope and future. Soon the whisper turns into a roar that my once timid lips cannot hold back. When we are free, we offer the world a manifesto of hope and freedom that we never even knew was within us.
We become ourselves again outside of our cage.
So, here is to courage friends. A life lived full of faith and destiny. Fear did not defeat us. It no longer owns us.
These past few weeks we have come out from behind our intangible restrictions. We have embraced the truth that we were created to run and live full of calling. Loved by Freedom itself we became brave - fiercely brave. We stood on our cages and roared:
Fear we have a destiny, and you will not keep us from it.
We are free. There is nothing left to wait for because our Deliverance has come and He remains. The series is over, but the journey isn't. It's time to stand on your cage and say something. That thing that has been in your heart to say all along. The unique expression of God in you that is coming to the surface.