Fear is a Liar
Fear is Not your Home Address.
What has FEAR ever done for you? When has worry and anxiety served you well? Have you ever had a time where you look back and wish you’d been MORE anxious over a situation?
I doubt it.
Yet we are so often anxious and afraid. It’s been our response since the very beginning when sin entered the world:
9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
And then over and over when we are afraid, God patiently reminds us of his presence and our ultimate security in him:
9 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.”
Fear is a choice.
Every time you’re fearful or anxious- pay attention to it for a minute. Notice it. Observe the situation. Then, speak what is true about yourself, the world, and your fears that lie to you. Push forward. Fear is not your home address, its a place you’re passing through.
Moments of fear creep up all the time. But staying in the place of fear is a choice.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Choosing faith over fear is often just a question of focus. Keep your eyes on God; fix your eyes upon Jesus and the promises of God and the character of God in the Bible. The reality is that a lot of stuff that we’re afraid of just makes no sense in light of who God is and how faithful he has been in the past to us and others.
When you feel afraid, don’t set up camp. Name the truth of what your true home is like, and a time God has shown you his care in the past. He is your home.
We can train our minds to pay attention to fears, and then turn them into faith through the Biblical and experiential truth of our Father who loves us.