There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us.
I John 4:18, 19 (NASB)
My friend giggled with surprise.
She was quickly realizing that I wasn’t perfect as I mixed peanut butter kiss cookies without sugar, my beaters flung cookie dough across the room, and I misplaced recipes and ingredients. I could barely hold a thought. My kitchen was a disaster!
Shrugging my shoulders, I grinned and called my eager Shadow-a black Lab, to lick it up.
I could have told her long ago that I didn’t have it altogether. But it was more fun to watch it unfold! The mess and confusion resembled what was going on inside of me, and I was done pretending. There can be no healing living in a masquerade.
So I laughed with weariness and confession, and kneaded sweetness into the mix. The sugar had a purpose. It couldn’t be forgotten.
Purpose…the word had been marinating in my thoughts over the past few weeks. We tend to get ourselves into trouble when we don’t have a purpose. So how do we realize our potential and dreams when we’ve been more afraid of happiness than pain?
Perfect love casts out fear.
We choose love without conditions…kindness…mercy…forgiveness…relationship…even in the midst of our tired mess. We humbly bend and look outward; no matter how it looks!
We learned lessons that day as cookies were both flattened paper thin and burnt…
Must we all think alike and look the same? Can we accept our differences and what brought us to this place? Can our common bond…His perfect love… hold us together?
My soul lifts as I sing a nursery rhyme with my grandson…Peanut Butter and Jelly. First you crush the nuts…then you squish the grapes…and you spread it…spread it! However, it doesn’t end there. We are meant to enjoy what we’ve worked hard to make!
Our purpose may change through the years, but God’s love always remains. Whenever in doubt, spread what you know and need. Share God’s love!
~Lily Mae
You must be logged in to post a comment.