What Are You Afraid Of? Part 1
What came into your mind when you first read the title above? Did you even think about it? If not, and even if you did, take a brief moment now to think about what it is that causes you fear. I'd like for you to have something in mind as you read what follows.
Now that you have something specific in mind, let me ask you another question... Is God bigger than whatever it is you came up with? Before you start arguing with me in your head, think about it. Whatever that thing is that you're thinking about, don't you think that God, specifically your faith in God, can help you overcome that fear?
It has been said many times that the opposite of fear is not courage, but faith. Faith is what gets us through. Faith is what gives us the ability to be courageous. When God spoke to Joshua and told him to "be strong and courageous" it was followed with the assurance that He (God) would be with Joshua "wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). Joshua had to have faith in that assurance to be able to proceed without fear.
Fear is one of the most effective tools that the enemy uses to keep us out of God's will. It is for this reason that we must recognize it as such and be aware when fear starts to come into play with our decision making. One of my favorite quotes, and something that I have tried to live out in my life, comes from Sean Stephenson, "No one ever conquered fear with more fear. Whenever I make a decision coming from a place of love, I never regret it. When I make a decision from fear, I almost always regret it." (From the book Emotional Equations by Chip Conley.)
Stephenson hits on a couple of things here. First, the contrast between love and fear. The apostle John wrote that "there is no fear in love" and that "perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18). Love and fear cannot occupy the same space. The second thing this quote alludes to is this idea that when we are weighing a decision in our mind, we often say something like, "if I make this choice, I'm afraid that..." This is a classic use of fear by the enemy. We fear certain outcomes, so we choose to do, or not to do something, for the wrong reasons. This is where fear becomes an obedience problem. We listen to the enemies voice rather than the voice of God.
The second part of this post will deal with several common fears that we all struggle with and what the bible has to say about them. Until then, I would like to ask you to join me in a pledge I first made almost two years ago. I don't always get it right, but I have taken the approach that I will no longer choose the decision where the rationale includes, "I'm afraid that..." I will no longer make decisions that come from a place of fear. Easier said than done, yes, but it starts with just being aware of what is driving your decision making process. You'll be amazed at what you learn about yourself when you start thinking this way.
Now that you have something specific in mind, let me ask you another question... Is God bigger than whatever it is you came up with? Before you start arguing with me in your head, think about it. Whatever that thing is that you're thinking about, don't you think that God, specifically your faith in God, can help you overcome that fear?
It has been said many times that the opposite of fear is not courage, but faith. Faith is what gets us through. Faith is what gives us the ability to be courageous. When God spoke to Joshua and told him to "be strong and courageous" it was followed with the assurance that He (God) would be with Joshua "wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9). Joshua had to have faith in that assurance to be able to proceed without fear.
Fear is one of the most effective tools that the enemy uses to keep us out of God's will. It is for this reason that we must recognize it as such and be aware when fear starts to come into play with our decision making. One of my favorite quotes, and something that I have tried to live out in my life, comes from Sean Stephenson, "No one ever conquered fear with more fear. Whenever I make a decision coming from a place of love, I never regret it. When I make a decision from fear, I almost always regret it." (From the book Emotional Equations by Chip Conley.)
Stephenson hits on a couple of things here. First, the contrast between love and fear. The apostle John wrote that "there is no fear in love" and that "perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18). Love and fear cannot occupy the same space. The second thing this quote alludes to is this idea that when we are weighing a decision in our mind, we often say something like, "if I make this choice, I'm afraid that..." This is a classic use of fear by the enemy. We fear certain outcomes, so we choose to do, or not to do something, for the wrong reasons. This is where fear becomes an obedience problem. We listen to the enemies voice rather than the voice of God.
The second part of this post will deal with several common fears that we all struggle with and what the bible has to say about them. Until then, I would like to ask you to join me in a pledge I first made almost two years ago. I don't always get it right, but I have taken the approach that I will no longer choose the decision where the rationale includes, "I'm afraid that..." I will no longer make decisions that come from a place of fear. Easier said than done, yes, but it starts with just being aware of what is driving your decision making process. You'll be amazed at what you learn about yourself when you start thinking this way.
The Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns
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