SCRIPTURE: There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. 1 John 4:18
THOUGHT: I fear ordinary. The word scares me, and it has all my life. To be average has been my greatest fear. Over the years, God has used some ordinary moments to chip away at this malady. Take childbirth for example—a thoroughly humbling, very human experience. I felt no need to stand out or be better than others; far from it—I felt I was joining the long history of humanity, becoming part of something larger with a willingness to endure pain for the sake of another, to nurture and love without competition, to decrease so another could increase. My babies taught me a lot about how love can make us fearless and ordinary at the same time.
I think Peter may have struggled with the fear of being ordinary, too. Scripture reveals a commonplace guy who was forever trying to stand out, gain approval, cast off any shadow of doubt about where he stood. Later, as a mature Christian, pastor, and leader among the apostles, it would seem he overcame it—or the Spirit of Christ in him overcame it. Peter became fearless as he watched God use his ordinary self.
I haven’t gotten there yet, and perhaps I won’t this side of heaven, but I will stay on this journey of desiring to be perfected in love rather than loving perfection. I know only too well how ordinary I am – all I lack is the miracle of never fearing that again.
PRAYER: Oh God, remove perfectionism and replace it with perfect love for you, others, and my own ordinary self as I face my fears today.
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Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
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