By: Lindsey Whitmore
What do you fear most? I will tell you mine, if you tell me yours. Isn’t this like most of us – we fear even telling another our fears, because we’re afraid speaking it aloud somehow allows its power over us to manifest. On the contrary, isn’t there power in confessing our fears, so as to hand them over to the One who is able to squash them and replace them with supernatural confidence?
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NIV
Well, this is exactly why I am sharing. One of my worst fears, aside of course of sharks, zombies, and frogs, was just revealed to me. The fear of failing. If you ask anyone who knows me, I don’t think they would place me in a category of living ‘in’ or ‘under’ fear. I do know what that feels like since I have moments in both, but it is not a place I would say characterizes me or that I allow myself to remain in long. I grab my shield of faith and go about the rest of my day. However, it was shown to me this is one area that I have been found unfaithful and one area I continually lay down and pick back up. It’s not because of lack of faith, although all disobedience stems from this, but from my fear of failure, and at times a narrow attitude of ‘I just don’t want to.’
I hope no one can relate to this, I hope I am the only one baring myself and that everyone that reads this finds it comical. However, in my few years of living, I realize this is not likely. There is someone else, who has or is presently avoiding what God has called you to do. Something God has called you to quit, change, remove, give over, place under His authority, and for all different reasons you just haven’t seemed to be able to do it.
We must come to a place where we STOP making excuses and START making steps towards God’s excellence in all areas of our lives. May Jesus' words in Luke 6:46 keep playing for you and I, “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” May it be an ever present reminder to choose more wisely where we place our fear.
We must be in the business for trading our ‘stinking thinking’ for His perfect thinking.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 ESV
We must trust God in the places where we know we are weak so He can be our strength.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26 ESV
We must release our fantasy of being in control and humbly return to the One who is and always will be in control.
He refreshes my soul, He guides me along the right paths for his names' sake. Psalm 23:3 NIV
May I lend you my declarations today so we can move out into His new perspective, power, and promise. May we be found pursuing completeness in the Lord and holding nothing back.
Open up before God, keep nothing back; he’ll do whatever needs to be done:He’ll validate your life in the clear light of day and stamp you with approval at high noon. Psalm 37:5-6 MSG
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