“There is no cage. There are no chains. You are free.”
The gentle words of the counselor rang in my ears as I drifted to sleep. In the days following, I allowed those words to seep into my soul and bring the long overdue healing and freedom I desperately needed.
Many of us are conditioned from a young age to blend in and conform. Dress the same as everyone else. Be normal. Don’t act differently. However, the Bible instructs us not to conform to the patterns of this world. Instead, we should renew our minds by testing and approving what God’s will is.
When we stop trying to copy everyone else, we free ourselves to follow the dreams God puts in our heart. He will give us the desires of our heart that align with His will when we delight in Him, obey His Word, commit our ways to Him, and trust Him.
Our God of variety uniquely makes every person in His image. We can see this in the variety of insects in our world. In the same way, God gives us dissimilar gifts, talents, and dreams. We can fight our individuality and perfectly tailored gifts and dreams or embrace them wholeheartedly, knowing God has hand-picked them for us.
Cast aside the false cloak of ordinary and be fearlessly authentic.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Melissa Sturt is a mother of three children. She lives in Queensland, Australia, with her wonderful husband, Mat. She loves bush-walking, reading, growing flowers, writing, and sharing coffee with her friends. She hopes her articles will bless and encourage others.