Rapunzel: When Will Your Life Begin?

March 12th, Disneyland opened the new Fantasy Faire area, where the Carnation Plaza Gardens once was. I had the opportunity to visit that area last Wednesday and I’ll be writing about it from a travel standpoint for the MouseEarVacations newsletter and the PassPorter newsletter. Today, though, we’re going to look at a character who has a new home here: Rapunzel.

 

There will be a series of posts about Rapunzel, who now has a daily show in the Royal Theatre, and today’s focuses on the song from the opening of the movie (Tangled), called When Will My Life Begin? If you’re not familiar with it, take a listen below and then we’ll dig into it a bit.

Rapunzel has been trapped in a tower all her life. She’s doing good things—cooking, cleaning, reading, painting, exercise—that are good for her. But she’s continuing to do the same thing day after day and it’s driving her crazy. She feels like there’s no escape, so she just keeps on going through the motions, all the while wondering when her life will truly begin.

 

Do you ever feel that way? You know that you have new life in Christ and that Jesus promised abundant life, but you’re wondering where it is. Let me suggest 2 reasons you may be missing it.

 

1. You’ve missed the “in Christ” part.

At first blush, that may sound ridiculous. “Of course I’m ‘in Christ’!”, you say. If you’ve received Christ, then yes, you are. The Bible is very clear on that. But that is what we would call “positional.” You have that position. You could also call it your identity. “In Christ” defines who you are.

But having the identity and living like it are two different things. You could be a prince, the daughter of a rock star, or even a famous author. But if you live like you’re broke, unknown, and don’t have direct access to significant resources, what good does that do you? You still have the identity, but you’re not living like it. Rapunzel had her own true identity, though she didn’t know it for most of the movie, and it kept her from living the life she was made for.

 

Remember, Jesus said,

 

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”

 

To bear fruit and have the abundant life He promised, it takes living like you’re connected to Him—which He pretty clearly says here is characterized by keeping His command to love each another as He has loved you. How well does that describe your life?

 

Of course, it takes regular time with Him, discipline, and training to develop a life like that. It can’t be done through your own strength or willpower. But it can be done…as long as you remain actively “in Christ”.

 

 

2. You’re still trapped in your tower.

Rapunzel’s lack of knowledge of her identity kept her trapped in her tower. So did fear. fear of the outside world, of the anger of her “mother”, of the unknown. She longed to go out there but felt caged in. She believed the lie that all she could do is what she’d done before. That there was no other way. It took someone else to come along and help her see that she could be free—that she could have the life she was made for.

 

Flynn Rider may not be the best role model—not at first, anyway—but he still served that purpose for her. Do you have someone doing it for you? That’s what I do for my coaching clients. They have to take the step out of the tower, but I help them develop the tools, the confidence, and the new perspective needed to break free and live in their true identities.

 

Could you use that in your life? If so, contact me! Maybe coaching isn’t what you need right now. That’s OK. Maybe you need a counselor, a mentor, or a supportive friend. Each has their time and place. Whichever you need, though, find someone. They may not come through your tower window—though that is, in effect, what I’m doing right now—so seek them out if you have to.

 

Break free of your tower and live the life you were made for…become the “you” God made you to be!

 

Question: What is keeping you imprisoned in your tower, and what step can you take today to break free of it? Talk about it in the comments below, or on our Facebook page.