New Book Suggestion

It has been some time since I last posted, thus the reason I opted to leave dates off my posts. It's actually embarrassing for me because I am such a slacker at posting regularly. But since my life is slowing down a little lately (I have finished a 16 month education program) I will be posting more regularly.

No time for any "insight" to events in my life right now, but I did want to share a book that I purchased recently. It was recommended by someone I highly respect and trust--the only reason I am suggesting it before I read it! It is a fiction book, which I normally don't read. I personally think they are usually a waste of precious time, plus the fact that I can't stick with a book long enough to finish the story. Part of the reason I like factual books or books that help in understanding behaviors and personalities of people or books that delve into an insightful area of spiritual beliefs, Christianity, leadership, etc. I can take bits from them without needing to dedicate a lump of time to them.

So anyway, below is a comment from the author from his blog site. It is something I would like to remember and also something I thought would benefit others. To visit his blog go to Windrumers.com. To visit his book website go here: The Shack.

The Need for Control

In my opinion, much of our drive to control (circumstances, others etc) is based in fear (fear of failure, fear of others, fear of being embarrassed, fear of the future etc) and if our fight to control is not an exercise against outright fear, we at least want to minimize the uncertainties in our lives. I am not talking about fear of ‘real’ dangers, but the fear that is linked to ‘imagined’ potentials.

Many think the opposite of fear is courage or bravery, but really the opposite is love. Perfect love casts out fear - there is a direct relationship between the fear in mylife and the settled-ness in my heart that I am loved (the one who fears is not perfected - has not come to wholeness in the matter of being loved). To use a metaphor: the small child of the greatest potentate enters his presence without any fear while others quake. Why? Because he knows he’s loved.

Another way to put it might be that in the process of becoming whole we are continually given opportunities to exchange all the uncertainties of life for the certainty of God’s character. This is an exercise in dependence and we should recogize it for the revolutionary action and rebellious stand against the systems (who are so quick to promise all manner of ‘certainties’).

As we trust God’s character of Love and particularly His active and involved love toward us, we don’t have to understand the circumstances of our lives in order to live freely and live loved. Faith sees past the uncertainties, and in some sense even embraces them, knowing that the certainty of Papa’s love is the only place where there is real solid ground.

Fear, on the other hand, runs from uncertainty or tries to erect systems and devices or gives allegiance to anyone or anything that promises to make life more certain. But the ultimate little child pointing out the emperor’s nakedness, is death. Death is a mockery of every attempt at certainty and why the world lives in fear of death, the one ‘potential’ that is assuredly ‘certain’.

The life of being loved and the life of faith is a life of risk; learning to hear the voice of One who loves in the midst of screaming uncertainties and demanding necessities. It is a journey and process…this learning to live loved. We will make lots of mistakes, but like Peter and Mack, we will come to understand and actually be overwhelmed by joy when we begin to realize that we would rather be sinking out on the water with Jesus than ’safe’ back in the boat, without Him.

-willie