Fear is something I battle. I think it’s a struggle for most everyone. If it’s not at some level, I’m happy for you, bless you, I think you are a superhuman. But for the rest of us, fear is something we battle each day. It could be big, legitimate things that immobilize us, or just those little, nagging fears.
The other day, my friend, Leanne, said that fear is the belief that God will not come through. When I fear, I’m communicating to the Lord that I don’t trust Him to handle whatever it is that I’m facing. Ouch. And as I think about it, I agree. Most fears can be traced back to this single thing. If I worry about my future, how God will continue to provide for me physically, emotionally, etc, why would I fear if I believe/know that God will come through?
We choose whether we allow fear or faith to guide us. But we cannot operate in both. We have the authority to decide which will rule our hearts and our minds. Will we believe what Jesus says and who He is and choose faith, or will we choose worry and fear? If I am being held captive or am at a standstill because of fear, that is my choice. I choose to trust and walk in freedom, or I choose to fear. It is a gloriously powerful thing when we realize that every day, we make the choice. God gave us self-control and the ability to have sound minds and make sound judgment. But we have to do the work. And the work is in both the spiritual and the physical.
Because I know that I have a tendency to allow fear to cripple me or to become the lens through which I view my circumstances, I have learned which weapons I need to wield to combat it. I try to be as honest as possible with myself and take stock of my heart and mind weekly as self-evaluation. I also have people I trust and talk to regularly who can help me pinpoint fear. I ask God to reveal any fears in my life. When the Spirit identifies them, I face them head on. I remind myself of Scripture that negates each. I speak truth to the fear, releasing it, and instead believe what God says in faith. The Truth becomes my mantra, something I meditate on. Even if I can’t see it or don’t believe it just yet, I know that my heart and mind will begin to align as I focus on the reality of the truth, instead of my fear.
And then I move my feet. Fear paralyzes me, making movement seem impossible. But I make myself move, even if I don’t feel completely free of the fear, even if I’m still struggling. And before I know it, I’m free of that fear and continuing onward in this beautiful journey.
Friends, let’s choose faith, not fear, and keep on keeping on.
