Into the unknown

One of my all-time favorite movies is Frozen II. I must have seen it over a dozen times in the past year since it’s release. I’m not married, a mom, or a sibling to young children so I (unfortunately) don’t have the excuse that “the kids wanted to watch it.” :b  As a deep thinker, one of the aspects I love most about this show is all the complex layers, backstories, and hidden messages available to us -if only we choose to listen.

Additionally, I love all the symbolism in it. It seems like every time I watch it, something new stands out to me. If you’ve never seen the movie, this film picks up where the previous show left off: with Queen Elsa, having accepted her powers and ruling the kingdom of Arendelle; her Sister Anna who’s enjoying the open gates, spending time with Olaf (the magical snowman from their childhood brought to life in the previous film by Elsa), and courting Kristoff; Kristoff is working up the nerve to propose to Anna and is figuring out what to say with his reindeer buddy, Sven. In the beginning of this film, we learn more about Elsa and Anna's parents, who died at sea when they were both young. While she was still alive, their mother told them about a land called “Ahtohallan.” She’d learned about it when she was young from her own mother: It was a mysterious, intangible place and something that couldn’t quite be reached…

Later, Elsa is bothered by a voice that she can’t quite explain. It’s beautiful, clear, simple, and intriguing. And it’s calling her to follow it into the Unknown, out of her comfort zone, and to be stretched more than she’s ever been.
This is where I want to stop. 

Now, as someone who, much like Elsa, enjoys being comfortable, I’ve found that this is a really hard choice to make. It’s easier to simply do what we’ve always done. However in that, we lose the joy and freedom of trusting God with the unknown He’s calling us to. For me, the whisper Elsa hears in the night is parallel to the Holy Spirit’s guiding, instructing, and calling us. Often, His whispers come at the most-inopportune time: when we’re comfortable, safe, and unbothered. But, we also can’t help but hear His whispers and nudges that there’s more. When we do hear Him, we have a choice: we can choose to acknowledge His call, even when it’s scary, new, and difficult and then follow Him into the Unknown. Or, we can ignore His voice and miss out on His adventure for us. Mind you, God already knows what’s in the Unknown. It’s not a surprise to Him. He knows what He’s calling us into and He knows what it will take to get us there. He’s not surprised by what’s ahead. It’s about our willingness to trust Him and to move even when WE don’t know the outcome and even when it’s hard.

In the end, Elsa DID go and DID respond to the voice, and in doing so, she found out who she was created to be. 

Boom. 

We don’t know and realize our purpose until we step out of our comfort zone and are willing to do whatever it takes to follow the voice of the Holy Spirit. 

Our purpose and identity is found in God and only He can tell us who we are. If Elsa would have stayed, not only would she have missed out on this discovery of identity, but those around her never would have grown to the capacity they were capable of either. Elsa simply followed, but there were blessings, discoveries, and growth for those who choose to go into the Unknown with her too.

So, how does this apply to us? 

Today, comfort is almost praised. Yes, it’s good to be secure, it’s good to be healthy, it’s good to be stable. But not at the expense of being inflexible and unwilling to listen to the voice of God. He knows us and He created us intricately for a purpose. But, He also gives us a choice. We can choose to listen to His voice prompting us to move or we can choose to stay in the familiar. 

In my own life, I’ve seen blessings, peace, and purpose when I follow His voice and done something hard in the Unknown. It’s not easy. 

It’s really not easy.

But it’s worth it, for our good and His glory. 
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So, I’d encourage you to be okay with being uncomfortable and to be willing to step out into your Unknown, following His voice wherever He leads. 


As always, if you have questions or would like clarification, I available :)
I'm not perfect in this area of stepping out but I'm learning and growing and willing, and that's all God asks of us.