“Let it go, let it go…” My preschool aged daughter sings that song about once a day. I think most mothers of little girls can relate when I say that I sometimes wish someone would let that song go…far away…and never bring it back. 

I have to admit, however, that I love that movie. I cried through most of it the first time I saw it. I know. Crazy, right? A grown woman crying at a Disney movie. I cried because I related so much to Elsa, and I know so many others who do too. 

Elsa’s struggle represents something so much more intense than the power to freeze things. She is frozen. Frozen by fear. Elsa’s life becomes controlled by a constant fear of the future. It started with her parents’ fear that lead them to hide her away, but it lead to her obsessive fears and eventually to her solitude. When she escapes from Arendale and sings her famous song, she is building not just a castle, but a wall of protection around her heart. She has been so alone, and she is so afraid of rejection that she rejects the world. She puts on the tough act of the ice queen in order to show the world she doesn’t care. She doesn’t need anyone. 

How much this reminds me of me. So many times in life I have been overcome with fear. In high school I became extremely depressed at one point, and the more I focused on my fears, the worse it got. As I focused inward, fearing the future or other people’s opinions of me, I became more and more afraid and alone. Other times in my life I have found myself focusing on something in the future, obsessively worrying about it, and I’ve watched the fears multiply and drive me to exhaustion. 

The Bible is full of verses that helped me to take my fears to God. Chapters like Psalm 27 talk of how I do not have to fear because God is for me, and He’s more powerful than anything.  Also, 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear…” When I am focused on God and letting His love flow through me, fear will be chased away. 

Elsa learned this when she realized how much she loved her sister. Suddenly love flowed through her and she was able to melt the horrible winter that had taken over their lives. 

Love melts fear. Light chases away dark. Good triumphs over bad. 

So, no matter how over-marketed the movie is, I love it. Love wins. 

(Note: I will be having a talk with my preschooler as soon as she’s old enough about the “Let it Go” song. This is kind of like Elsa’s “before” picture; before love changed her. Something to learn from, not to imitate.)