The Thing About Fear…

My head is spinning…so much information, so many thoughts, so much fear, anxiety, dread.

The thing is…what’s causing this…is a reality completely out of my control. The only thing I know to do in a situation such as this …is pray…and let me tell you. Pray I have, am, and will continue to do until I see TRUTH reigning and my prayers answered…and even then, I will pray.

You see…these thought…are a reality of the times…I know that sounds so vague, but the thing is…each of us is facing a reality that is completely and utterly out of our control. There is NOTHING we can PHYSICALLY do to change that reality. NOTHING we can SAY that will change that reality. We can’t change that reality with our inner thoughts no matter how good and reasonable of an argument we come up with in our mind. The ONLY thing that CAN change whatever devastating reality that you and I may be facing…is through prayer.

You see, it may be out of our control, but regardless of what’s happening, all the evil around us that seems to be suppressing TRUTH and HONESTY and KINDNESS and LOVE and JOY and ALL THINGS GOOD….no matter how dark it may seem right now…there is still GOD! He is still in control of ALL of this…and though he ALLOWS bad things to happen more often than we want Him to…and though it seems there are 200 defeats to 1 small victory….the TRUTH is…GOD is still in control and HE desires for us to TRUST Him….believing that through it all…He has OUR GOOD in mind.

Now I’m going to be completely honest and a bit vulnerable here…this is something I struggle with SO. MUCH. Yes, God has good in mind for us and NOT evil! God said as much to Jeremiah over the time that Israel was once again in captivity. It was looking very dark for them. God spoke this promise, “For I know the plans I have for you…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV) Although God was speaking to Israel, I FIRMLY believe that we as Christian’s can claim this promise, because as followers of Christ, WE ARE HIS CHILDREN! He HAS GOOD in mind for us, our future, our children’s future, grandchildren’s future, and on down our family lineage.

While that is TRUE…God’s good may look completely opposite of what we THINK that good should look like. Isaiah 55:9 says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV) This is where fear starts whispering it’s dark, despairing thoughts to me, “Yes, yes, God is God and in control but…but what if His good for us looks bad, like really bad?!”

Since I became a mother, I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve allowed that voice of fear WAY too much time at the podium of my thoughts. To the point that it was effecting my health…so I understand the struggle completely! If you struggle with fears, or anxiety, depression, you must know you are NOT walking that path alone. You’re not crazy. I do believe in some cases you need external help, and by that I mean a doctor, some good quality supplements, a counselor, whatever it may be, please don’t be afraid or ashamed to ask for help!! In my case, as I’m sure in many others…you need to kick fear in the butt…so to speak. I’m going to run on a rabbit trail for a bit so hear me out… Satan attacks each of us in different ways…his MAIN objective, his end goal for ALL OF US…is to see us destroyed. Literally, destroyed…not just dead, but living dead…without hope…without joy…without love…without all things that make life worth living and that just so happens to mirror the very character of God. So when we ALLOW fear room to speak…as I’ve learned, he just wants more room and takes up more and more and more time in your mind, until that joy, that hope, that PEACE, is gone…than what is left? An empty shell of who you WERE MADE TO BE.

“But what about the reality of my fear?! It’s very real! It might come true! There’s a very REAL possibility that it COULD happen!” Yes, this is true, whatever your fear is…it could come true. So what, are you going to do? Fret and worry your health away and make life miserable for you AND those around you until it DOES happen? You could do that. But I don’t want to live that way.

So regardless of how real my fears might be…God is bigger. Think about that….our God is not limited by fear or ANYTHING for that matter… how would you live if there was NO FEAR in your life? No really, how would your life look different?? Would you go bungee jumping, diving with the sharks…become a public speaker, author, street preacher, BOLD in your faith, talking to anyone and EVERYONE about Jesus without FEAR of what someone might think of you??? Now I don’t believe COMPLETE freedom from fear is possible while we live on this earth, BUT I believe it IS possible through the POWER of our Savior, to send those fearful thoughts scurrying away when they try to squeeze their way into the corners of our mind!

I LOVE this verse, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of POWER and of LOVE, and of a SOUND MIND.” (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV) So all those things that you would do if you never had a fearful thought… are possible!! Through the power of Jesus Christ living in us! Now I wouldn’t go so far as to encourage the shark diving..yikes…that’s one fear I’m ok with…it’s probably God-given common sense actually ;-D …but for real…when you ” Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (I Peter 5:7) You than have more time and mind space for enjoying life! More time to better love and serve those around you! What an incredible life we have to live you guys!!! Seriously God is so good!!

Again, this doesn’t mean that what you’re fearing ISN’T REAL…most of the times, our fears come from very real happenings…which makes them so scary and a completely reasonable fear…BUT GOD!! From my own personal experience, and I’m sure it can’t compare to what SO MANY others have FACED and the struggles others have gone through where their fears became reality…I’m speaking from my own struggle with fear…fear for my child’s life, health and his very future…among so many other very personal fears that have tried to take over…but the thing about fear…it’s not TRUTH. It only has the power you give it. TRUTH is that no matter what the future holds, God is still in control and has all power. He cares for the little details of YOUR LIFE! He breathed HIS life, HIS breath into you!… so don’t you think that He’d have just a little interest in what happens with your life?!

I’m still learning and growing in this area…but oh my…the joy and the relief that comes when you simply TRUST God, giving your fearful thoughts over to Him to deal with…it’s simply and utterly….peaceful. Now this is a daily struggle. It’s never once and done…but once you begin to recognize the very moment fear tries to creep in…you slam the door in his face immediately!!! Than you can truly live in joy and peace, TRUSTING that God will fight for you. Your job is to simply talk to God about your fears, than be still and trust.

“Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you.” Deut. 3:22 NIV

“…for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you , as he hath promised you.” Joshua 23:10 KJV

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 NIV

To be honest, I’m not exactly sure why I felt the need to write this down…but I felt it…maybe God knew that writing His truth down helps solidify it in my own mind…or maybe He knew that someone dealing with fears needed to be reminded of this as much as I do…whatever the case, may God bless you as you walk with Him, trusting Him daily and ultimately, LIVING to glorify Him! Until next time.
-Heidi