The Power to See Who We Are Becoming

I love superheroes. I know a lot of people do, but for good reason. There is just something about the kind of hope they bring. Like anything is possible.  I just really like them! What I don’t like, was when people asked the, “if you could have any super power, what would it be?” question. I hated being cliché, and I never knew what I really liked the most; they all seemed pretty cool. But I think I have finally discovered what superpower I want.  I know I mentioned this a few posts ago, but I really like what Bob Goff had to say about telling people who you see them becoming. That is what I want as a super power. I want to be able to give someone that kind of hope and encouragement. I want to be able to look at them and see all that they can become through Him. I mean how amazing would that be. It’s a little like seeing into the future, but in a beautifully hope filled way. Can you imagine the beautifully powerful impact that could have on people’s lives? The belief they might see in themselves from seeing who God is turning them into. So often we are unable to have hope because we don’t know what to hope in. We don’t have a picture of what we want. I wish I could somehow show people that picture. I wish I could show them a glimpse of their future self in Him. Give them that hope, so that they could press on towards it. I think that would be a beautifully powerful superpower!

Undeserving Love

I love the One I don’t deserve. To be loved can be a beautiful thing. To love, well that’s another story. Sure, if it’s mutual, it can be beautiful, maybe even epic. But more often than not, love is a risk. A dangerous, vulnerable, selfless risk. It makes me sad. How the fear of loving keeps so many from acting on it. But what if love wasn’t about what happens, but about the one we love. What if we loved like the One who loves us. What if we loved regardless of whether a person deserved it or not. What if we loved, because He first loved us? People will always hurt us, let us down, disappoint, and even betray us at times. But if we loved them not because of the love they showed us in return, but rather because we love Him; how would that affect this world? He loves us simply because He loves us, and His actions saved us all. Let us love for Love’s sake. Let our love be our praise and gratitude to Him. We aren’t deserving of His love and yet He loves us. The magnitude of His love is impressive, but what is more impressive is that He didn’t choose to love people who love Him back, but rather those who will choose other lovers over Him time and time again. I pray that we would not become a lover of lovers, but rather a lover of the One who is love. And that our love for Him would compel us to show His kind of love towards others.

A thousand times I've failed
Still your mercy remains
And should I stumble again
Still I'm caught in your grace

Everlasting, Your light will shine when all else fades
Never ending, Your glory goes beyond all fame

My heart and my soul, I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise, become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

Your will above all else, my purpose remains
The art of losing myself in bringing you praise

New Life and Fuller Lives

                         

I love life! My sister recently brought an incredibly beautiful new life into this world, and made me the happiest aunt there ever was! I can’t even begin to describe the amazing feeling of holding that precious child for the first time. He’s a total stranger to me, and yet I love him so much, and can’t wait for the future as I get to see him grow, and see all that he will become. I wonder if there ever is a time when we are full of more potential than at the beginning when that is all we are?

It makes me wonder, however, what it would be like if we shared that kind of excitement for the future both in the ways we viewed others and ourselves? The other day I went my school’s January Series where the speaker, Bob Goff, challenged us not to tell people where they were, but to tell them who they are becoming. As I find excitement in the dreams of who my little nephew will become, I also want to seek to share this same excitement for the future of those around me. I want to see who they are becoming and dream with them of all that God is making them into. I want to share with my brothers and sisters in Christ who I see God making them into. I want to encourage them to dream of the ways God could use them as they pursue lives that are open to obey Him in whatever way He calls. Our lives will never cease having potential. Up until the day we die, and maybe even beyond, God will always be able to use our lives to bring Him glory. Let’s recognize the amazing potential we all have and find excitement as we seek to live a fuller life where our potential turns into purpose, passion, and reality.