How One Missionary's Story Spoke to Me in a Big Way
I was listening to an incredible sermon by Carrie Pickett the other day that got me thinking about the relationship between love and fear. You can watch the full sermon here.
Carrie's Story
Carrie was a missionary in Russia for 12 years. She left the United States for Russia as a single, 21-year-old woman and started a Bible school there. Later she met her husband there, and they got married and had two kids. She began by speaking about a vulnerable area of her life, where she had a miscarriage and had lost her baby. It just got me thinking.I believe that when God created us (male and female), he created us in his image, just like it says in Genesis. I believe that he put specific characteristics primarily in a women’s heart and completely different characteristics in a man’s heart. (Not to generalize at all here) It is beautiful to see both aspects of God’s image, be lived-out through sermons/books/art/music. It is truly incredible and each one, so unique.Carrie’s message came from such a gentle place, and it spoke, deeply to me. Primarily because in this world, showing emotion has become more of a weakness than a strength. Sometimes, however, you really cannot help it. In the message, something Carrie said that was beautiful was that ‘tears are liquid prayers.’After the miscarriage, she experienced fear rearing its ugly head. Fear of losing her husband and fear of harm coming to her children. Fear usually comes from a root of ‘control’ and failing to be able to do so, leads to stress. We want to know what the future holds, so we can control it and so it can be ‘perfect’ and all work out accordingly. Can I get an Amen?
What does the word say about this?
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” - 1 John 4:16-18 ESV
If there are any areas that you are still experiencing fear in (as most of us do), then we need to ask ourselves if we have received a full revelation of Christ’s love in those areas. Remember that the enemy’s goal is to destroy your expectations so that you lose hope. Instead of having expectations, have an expectant heart, in God.
“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him.” - Psalm 62:5
Carrie painted a beautiful picture of God sitting on the throne with us, as his children, seated on his lap.
“Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go.” - Isaiah 48:17
We get healed and made whole in His presence and by allowing Him to lead us and by trusting Him, daily. Let God flow through you, be a child of God and a person of the word. As you keep doing this, you will become a wonderful fragrance to the world, filled with the goodness of God.