R - Radical
I hope you have been enjoying this series on the heart. Today is about being radical.
Radical means (especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough.
We have to live life radically outrageous in our faith in order for it to be contagious. When love is our fuel, our actions and desire for life will change. The source of our contagious energy is Jesus. He causes us to become a light and draw people near.
"Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life.”
Ephesians 3:17 TPT
Living with radical faith brings our light. It is our honor and purpose to shine this light as a reflection of Christ in us, but sometimes it can be hard. We fight against so many things to connect to this part within ourselves. We can feel contained or held back. Most of the time, it seems we blame others for this feeling, but really, the only person we can blame is ourselves. We hold ourselves back for fear—fear of rejection, fear of failure, or fear of disappointing ourselves. But, we will never know what we can attain until we step out. If you live your life contained, it will be tough to attain.
“So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16 TPT
In this pandemic season, it’s a good time to exercise our radical faith. Let’s be creative and find ways to invest in others. Stop living contained by a zip code, a town, or a church. It is time to attain all God has for us.
A good way to start is by thanking God for all His blessings. Every morning, before you step out of your bed or get on social media, give thanks to God. Then, at the end of your day, no matter what has happened, surrender it all to Him and give thanks again. He is working all things together for good. If it’s not good, it’s not the end of your story.
Keep going. You are doing great. Give yourself some compassion and grace. And remember you can always bring your cheer and smile from ear to ear.