Step Outside Your Box

Title: Step Outside Your Box
Materials: Illustration
Artwork by: Lara Sim
Description: Are you boxed up in a situation that you can’t seem to get out of? Sometimes, taking the first step out of our comfort zone to tackle issues can be a difficult choice to make. But when we call out to God in the midst of all our troubles, He reveals to us the freedom we can receive by trusting. Will you obey Him to take that first step?

Are you trapped in perfectionism?

Many of us are trapped in the habit of comparing ourselves to others. If she’s not prettier than me, she has a more exciting job as compared to me or has more friends than I do. Instead of trying to be the perfect person, focus your eyes on the Perfect God that we have. He wants to free us from being stuck in the middle of all of these doubts and negativity we surround ourselves with.

Are you trapped in fear?

Is fear a monster in your life, waiting to pounce and eat you whole? Are you unable to be vulnerable before others for fear of being judged? Do you find yourself always needing the approval of man? The easiest thing to do in such situations is to hide ourselves in the box. However, after hiding for too long, we can become trapped. He calls us into His loving arms—a safe place where there’s no need to hide before Him.

Are you trapped in anxiety and worry?

Are you worried about your future? Will I be able to find a good job? Will I be married one day? These thoughts can consume us from time to time, leaving us in despair or panic. However, when we allow these anxieties and worries to grip us, it prevents us from being able to move forward in life. Although we may still be afraid, we can trust in the One who is in full control of every situation.

Are you trapped in materialism?

Do you find great satisfaction when you shop for material things? Do you find it hard to be generous in giving to others? Even after buying all that you want, you know deep inside you that these will never satisfy. Take heart, you are not alone in such troubles. Perhaps it’s time to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and know for yourself the true satisfaction we can have in Christ alone.

Are you trapped in work pressures?

Another meeting? More deadlines? Got to get this done by today? Does this sound like you? Oftentimes, we are trapped under the overwhelming amount of work and are unable to escape. Some of us respond by being more driven by the fact that we are recognised for our ability to achieve the daily requirements, while the rest of us succumb to the stress of work. Either way, we fail to recognise that God calls us to rely on His strength daily and our calling to be a living testimony at work and beyond.

About Lara Lynch

On dewy mornings, Lara can be found crouching down in the garden with a magnifying glass, admiring the dew formed on a fresh blade of grass. She loves observing the little details in God’s creation, and her art embraces the inspiration she draws from the cycle of nature, from morning’s first bloom to the setting of the sun. She sees God in the details, and in every paint stroke she paints on a blank canvas. Lara’s from Australia.