Through the many

II Corinthians 4:1,15-16 "...as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart." Grace. This beautiful phenomena. Our withholding hinders His glory. Hinders the heart transformation birthed from the giving of thanks. Because what else would a person feel when they're expecting walls, judgment, distance, but are met with closeness, forgiveness, and love. When we choose the wall, not only do we participate in the hardening of heart, it's as if we rob them of a spiritual experience. Their thanks becoming His glory. An intimate interaction of soul and Spirit. Our gift of grace, which is only a manifestation of our receiving mercy, swells His glory! And for this end, we must not lose heart. Not for the receiving of our own thanks or even to make peace. We mustn't give in or give up. When His glory is at stake, it's always worth it to give grace. To love and favor a person's soul over the circumstance. Over the words. Over the feelings, whatever they may be. Anger. Fear. Regret. Sorrow. Confusion. Control. Grace can mount on wings and cover all of those and more. It's Jesus' greatest act, and He gives it to us now to give. That His grace may spread through the many.

Fear and Love

FEAR. A four letter word that can cut deep. Bring us to paralysis. Bring us to our knees. It can makes us change course, change mind. Run for our life. A powerful double-edged sword. Put under the right thing, God alone, it can stay us. Motivate morality. Produce patience. Prompt prayer. God-given, like all the deepest parts of our being, it can be bent and skewed and overtaken. Instincts say flee. Run as fast as you can from whatever produces fear. Hide from it. Avoid it. Silence its whispers by covering ears. But God often takes his people into dire fear-producing situations. It is there they must step in. Walk closer. Stand surrounded. Feeling. Feeling the fear. Hearing the roars of lions, waves, warriors. Then, only then do they see the power and can trust. Fear either makes us stand or retreat. Those who stood in the fear surely felt it, deep and heavy in human skin, but they saw victory! David. Daniel. Gideon. Hosea. Paul. Stephen. They witnessed out of this world miracles. The did not deny fear of its place. They leaned into it, got under it, and came out knowing more of the fullness and mystery of God. So we should not be wary of fear, but we should dig it up, see all its roots and boughs and hunt the fear down to let God extend to our deepest parts. That is where the fear is rooted. Deep down. In our years. Yet, that is not too far for the blood-love of Christ. Where fear cuts deep, He loves deeper. LOVE. The other four letter word. The two are like opposing ends of a magnet. When His love settles into the cracks and soul chasms, fear flees. We can only drive out the fears by bringing them near to the Love. The Love which repels the fear. Why? Because it is perfect. The perfect 'agape', the love feast, that only He can offer. It violently throws out fear when they're facing off. And we realize that we are so loved by Him. That no matter our days on earth, our home and ever-after is with Him in His heaven. This is the love we must fall victim to. Not to fear. Let the fear drive you deeper into the romance. Let the fear leave you hungry for His love feast. Don't run from the fear; put it up against His love. Brick by brick, layer by layer, and the Love will have victory. When the fear is emptied out, dug up from the depths of our souls, the Love will seep in, warm and healing. I John 4:18 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love."