Frozen

(Spoiler-Warning! If you haven't seen the movie yet and want to watch it, please do so before you read on!)

Yesterday we watched Frozen. And I realized – that's 1 John 4:18!

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 

In the movie, one of the main characters, Elsa, has amazing ice powers. One day she accidentally hurts her beloved sister Anna with them. They manage to heal Anna, but the healer warns them – Elsa's power is getting stronger and she needs to learn to control it. But her biggest enemy is fear. So she locks herself away and is getting more and more afraid of hurting the people she loves with this power while it continues to grow steadily. She tries to live by what her father told her: “Conceal, don't feel, don't let them know. ” So she stored away all her feelings.

But of course, everyone who has tried this will find out at one point – hiding your feelings and trying to run away from something will only lead you into bigger fear. Exactly the thing she wanted to NOT have.

Things get out of control, Elsa runs away, Anna tries to get her back, Elsa gets upset and the most feared for thing happens – Elsa hits her sister's heart with her ice bolt. Slowly, Anna will turn into ice. 

 

Fear is a source of many things we don't want to happen. Just think about what you would do out of fear – things you normally never thought you'd do. Fear doesn't let you think rationally anymore. It clouds your mind and sets your emotions into rage. You can't think straight and might be even doing things you'll regret.

The title song “Let it go” could be translated into “Let your fear go” and “set your emotions free”. I know what it's like to store up your emotions and never allow yourself to let them out. It doesn't do you any good, it will only turn against you and destroy you from within.

Just like that, Elsa's emotions get more and more out of control.

When everything turns into ice and all seems lost, Anna gives herself up for her sister and misses the seemingly last chance to receive an “act of love” from the one she loves and who loves her – the only thing that could help her right now. But she turns into ice, saving her sister. 

 

Yet, suddenly, Anna starts to turn back into a living human! She was the one doing the act of love, giving her life for her sister's. That's when Elsa realizes – Love is the key to defeat fear.

Because love sets free!

2 Timothy 1:7 - For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind/self-control.

And where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. - 2 Corinthians 3:17

Jesus is the one who offers us freedom. God is love! (1 John 4:8) Perfect love drives out all fear! And when you belong to Jesus, you receive his spirit.

Another thing I just realized - when I compare Anna's action to what Jesus did for us, it's a beautiful picture. He gave himself up for the ones he loved and died. This act of love was the key for us to get saved.

And then God brought him back to life so that all who believe in him will have eternal life as well!

I pray that we all will realize in our hearts, like Elsa, that true love drives out fear. And that the only one who can give perfect, pure and never ending love is God.

May he bless you! :)

For other thoughts on Frozen from a Christian point of view (that I just found), see this post.