Never Fear
There are few things that can stop action as quickly as fear. It seems to have a paralyzing effect no matter what the fear is from. IN the case of daily living fear often keeps me from trying. It is safer to stay in the known and comfortable even if it is not all that I want or what I think I need. Venturing out into the unknown is just too scary. My fear keeps me trapped.
Although some fear can be healthy and protect us from harm in some situations for the most part fear is not real instead it is just βFalse Evidence Appearing Real.β It is time to take on the fear that is crippling choices and defeat it once and for all.
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1. Test the spirit β we live in the north east region of Alabama out in the woods β away from any large body of water. Several years ago I was walking with my nephew down to where my husband was clearing out some trees. We came around the corner and my nephew said βalligator.β My instinct told me to flee and fast but I checked myself. If the alligator was real then there would be reason to flee, but I listed in my mind the reasons it was not real and eventually my eyes were able to see beyond the fear. For those few seconds that log appeared to be a real alligator.
2. Face the fear β appearances are important in my family. My mother was involved in local politics and I spent many years doing the right thing in the right way so that I didnβt end up on the front of the paper and embarrass her. Before I married my husband I was engaged to another man β we had the wedding planned, the invitations sent, and an the announcement had run in the local paper. We had even received gifts. He asked to postpone it just one month before the date and I ended up walking away completely. The paper ran a cancellation in the next issue. In front of the entire town I had failed. I was actually shocked at how little βembarrassmentβ there was and even more surprised that it didnβt kill me. Often times the fear of something is much worse than the actual experience.
3. Push through the feelings β when my husband I were first married I was being stalked by an ex-boyfriend (I picked quite a few winners in my time). Every time I went somewhere at night I watched for the taillights β where they following me? It was a gut wrenching pain that still tries to creep into me today over 15 years later. When the βwhat ifβsβ start trying to force my actions I just have to pray through them β sometimes I even have to call a friend to back me up in prayer β but I know I have to keep moving forward or fear will overwhelm me.
Fear does not come from God. 1 John 1:18 reminds us that βperfect love casts out fear.β The more that I grow in my relationship with God then the less I find causes me to fear.
My husband quit his job without notice β never fear, God is my provision.
There is a storm headed right for my home β never fear, He can calm the storm.
Things arenβt working out at the new church β never fear, God will make a way.
He can handle anything that I face β He already has. The key to driving out fear is to build up faith and that only comes from growing that personal relationship with God. Dig into the Word and discover how important it is to our Father that we Fear Not!