It’s easy to attempt to protect myself. Life has thrown and will continue to throw plenty of opportunities for me to choose to pick up my handcrafted shields and attempt to protect myself from hurt. Believe me, I have an assortment of shields for every occasion – rejection, fear, confusion, disappointment, loss, etc. I’ve got them all, but let me tell you something. They DON’T work. Well I take that back, they work to keep me stifled, trapped in fear, discouraged, bitter, confused, etc. They shield me from who I am created to be and from my creative potential to be confident and bold in the knowledge that I am free and loved.
In the past, I’ve held up those shields thinking they were working for me instead of against me. I thought that by staying hidden, I was saving myself from being hurt by people. I would awkwardly hide behind my outgoing husband, my job, other friends, and the list continues. I wouldn’t allow myself to just be completely me. Even with the people closest to me, I would pick up my shields and attempt to make everyone happy, but I paid a price…me. I missed out on the opportunity to see my value. I missed out on the opportunity to not only enjoy being me but to LOVE it.
So, what did I do? I took someone else’s armor and shield. It’s true. I shamelessly decided that mine weren’t working out very well, and I traded them. My new shield is called Faith. It has been forged through fire, and it cannot be destroyed. It does not cause me to cower and hide in fear. It doesn’t buckle under pressure, and it doesn’t melt in the face of lies. And the best part is that it not only protects me, but it empowers me to see my true value. And as a result, I’m becoming stronger everyday. It is bringing me into freedom.
I found my shield from the One with the Eyes of Love. I didn’t realize how many gifts He has for me. I had no idea how good He is, nor did I understand that He desires to love and protect me. He wants me to walk in joy every day. Before, I assumed that He was sending messages about how He thought of me through the pain of my circumstances. But, I was so wrong. I’m on HIS side, and He WANTS to protect me. And, guess what…I’m going to let Him.
With My Shield,
– The Lily
Ephesians 6:16“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one”
I AM THE LILY 