What does it mean to Live Chosen?
As I reflected on this question, I found I struggled to find the answer. On the surface, it seems simple: Living Chosen means being a child of God. Having a neverending hope. Believing in the impossible. Knowing I have a Father who loves me unconditionally.
But the more I thought about it, I realized I don’t struggle with the knowledge that I’ve been chosen. I struggle with choosing to Live Chosen.
This past summer, my family adopted a rescue dog. My sweet Luna-girl is a pit-lab mix who loves to love and often doesn’t recognize her own size. We aren’t sure of what her past was, since she was found on the street and given to the Humane Society. But judging from how she reacts sometimes, I believe some sort of been involved.
When we first brought her home she was afraid of everything. She wouldn’t go near the stairs or leave the yard to go for a walk. When a new person was introduced to her, she would freeze, her sad puppy eyes watching and waiting. No matter how much we cuddled her or told her how much she was loved, there was no way to force her to believe it.
Eventually, she wanted to be with us all the time. When we would leave the house for just an hour, it would cause her great distress. Even now, after having had her for 3 months, she hates it when any of us leave the house. She’ll mope around, refuses to eat, won’t play, and often chooses to remain in her bed for hours.
Still, we continue to snuggle and love on her. We try to use soft, kind voices when speaking with her. Over time, she’s learned to begin to trust us. She now does stairs and will go for a walk—although climbing into a car is still a no-go. And yet, we persevere, reminding her daily that she is safe and loved.
And yet… even though we chose to adopt her, to make her a part of our family, even though we will never abandon her or give her up… she’s fearful.
In the same way, the hurts and traumas from my past keep me from fully Living Chosen by God, at times. It’s a daily task to wake up and choose to Live Chosen. To not allow the lies of my past to invade my brain and tell me that I’m alone. That I haven’t been chosen after all.
Sometimes, when I hold a treat out for my dog, begging her to come to me, she won’t come to me because of fear.
In the same way, God stands before me, begging me to trust in Him, to believe I’m safe, to accept His love and guidance. And yet, I don’t fully trust. I don’t allow myself to step out of the false security of this world because I’ve forgotten that I am Chosen. I am a child of God. I am invited into His kingdom for all of eternity.
For me, Living Chosen means admitting that I’m human. I forget the goodness of God, sometimes. I allow my past to make my heart grow stubborn and confused.
Living Chosen means waking up each day and allowing God to remind me that I am Chosen. I’m chosen by Him no matter what I’ve done in the past and no matter what lies ahead. I am already Chosen.
Ultimately, it’s my choice to choose to Live Chosen.
Laura L. Zimmerman lives in a tiny rural town in south-central
Pennsylvania with her husband, daughters, and four adorable kitties. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing loudly, and pretending to do yoga. She’s an avid coffee and tea drinker, enjoys learning ASL, and is a sucker for anything Jane Austen related. Thanks to a certain boy-wizard, she may or may not be convinced she’s the long-lost twin of Luna Lovegood. Laura has been married to her Mr. Darcy for 23 years.
She loves to read and write YA sci-fi and fantasy and middle grade mystery. Her favorite tropes are enemies-to-lovers and grumpy/sunshine.
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