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Perhaps one of the most majestic creatures God ever created is birds.
Watch them.
They soar throughout the sky seemingly without a trouble on their mind.
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But if you clip their wings – if you trim a bird’s feathers – they’re instantly grounded, capable only of living inside a cage.
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Like birds, you might say that fear clips our wings.
The second we become afraid, our wings are clipped; we lose our ability to fly, to become who we are meant to be.
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In the Gospel, for example, God intervenes in Mary’s life through the angel Gabriel, proclaiming to her that she will bear Jesus, the Son of God, in her womb.
Overwhelmed by the gravity of what is promised, Mary’s wings are clipped; she’s afraid of her future.
Understanding the fear in her heart, the angel Gabriel assures her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,” do not clip your wings, “for you have found favor with God.”
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Where is God working in my life? Where am I afraid to trust like Mary?
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“Do not be afraid,” the angel Gabriel says. Do not let fear clip your wings.
“For you have found favor with God.”