Faith over Fear

I haven't written anything for quite a while.  Sometimes I think about it but then never seem to get around to doing it.  Today I had the privilege of speaking at the moms group I'm a part of.  I thought I might put my talk here and get back into blogging!

Fear is something I've struggled with for as long as I can remember.  I've always been a "scared" person.  I like to play it safe.  I don't live for risk or adventure.  I like control.  I think fear and control go hand in hand.  When we start to view an area of life we can't control, it can often turn to fear.  Fear gets fueled by worry.  Once the fearful thought comes into our minds we thinking about it and worry about it and if we aren't careful, we never do anything but worry about it.  Just think about the things you're afraid of.  It could be anything from spiders to heights.  It might go a little deeper.  Maybe you're afraid of what others think about you.  Maybe you're afraid of making the wrong choices in life.  Maybe you fear losing a loved one.  The list goes on and on.  The things you are afraid of can take you hostage if you let them. 

In my life as an adult, worry about the future and finances always seem to rule.   In the past few years Brad and I have felt somewhat stuck in our situation.  We knew that it was time to make some changes but never felt certain where to start.  He wanted to advance in career.  As an educator that only means certain avenues are open.  Finally last year, God put us on the path to Illinois State University when Brad decided he wanted to go for his PhD.  Since then, we keep making plans pushing us that way.  Brad has already started classes but wants to go full time in the fall.  We want to move there and I'll need a job to support our family.  These are some pretty big changes from the last several years.  I've been a stay at home mom for the past seven years and he has been our provider during that time.   This stirs up a lot of worries and fears about the future.  It seems like a bit of a risk but we believe that God has something for us on the other side and we are trying to navigate by faith and not fear.

 

In Acts 27 we read about a time when Paul was shipwrecked.  God told Paul before they set sail that this was a bad idea but Paul didn't have much of a choice in the matter.  Sure enough, once out to sea a storm hit and it hit hard.  There were soldiers, sailors and slaves on board.  Everyone was doing what they could to stay alive and protect the ship.  They dropped anchors because they feared crashing into the rocks, they threw cargo over board.  They did whatever they could within their own power.  Some of the sailors tried to sneak off on the life boats but Paul gave the warning from God that everyone needed to stay with the ship.  The ropes were cut and the life boats drifted away.  That seemed like such a crazy thing to do!  Now there really was no escape!  Everyone on board was losing hope.  All around them they could see the storm and it wasn't letting up.  Paul stepped in to encourage them.

(Acts 27:33-38)

³ Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. ³⁴ Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” ³⁵ After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. ³⁶ They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves. ³⁷ Altogether there were 276 of us on board. ³⁸ When they had eaten as much as they wanted, they lightened the ship by throwing the grain into the sea.

They had been so sick with worry and were not taking care of themselves.  God knew they needed strength and encouragement to finish the journey.  They had given up hope because they could only see the storm around them.  We are trained to live by what we can see.  When things look hopeless we often give up.  We forget that when God makes a promise, He keeps it.  We forget that fear does not come from God. 

For God has not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love and self-discipline.           2 Timothy 1:7 

When you claim that verse it has a lot of power over how we feel in our circumstances.

We have to learn to listen to God's voice and read his word to discern those times when he tells us to "cut the ropes".  Just like  God was giving warning and instruction to Paul when they cut the life boats away.  That can be scary.  When our circumstances make us afraid to go on we look for those "life boats" but if we jump ship we might miss out on something better God has for us.  God  also told them "eat now."  He knew they needed the strength and encouragement.  Brad and I knew many months ago that God was calling us to Bloomington.  We feel like this is a time of "eat now" for us though.  We are still here in our same home, job and routine but we are growing spiritually every day.  We have been taking a course at our church called School of Kingdom Ministry.  It has truly been life changing in how we see our selves and how we relate to God.  It has made scriptures come alive for us and our prayer life more intentional.  In the last part of Paul's voyage, everyone was instructed to jump over board and swim.  They were so close to land but the ship was wrecked.  Swimming was the only way out but all were saved just as God said they would be.  They didn't know who or what would be on the island but it turned out to be better than they thought.   

Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. ² The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. ³ Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” ⁵ But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.  Acts 28:1-5

 With God leading them, not even a viper could take down Paul.  I think this points out that when God makes a promise and a plan we can trust it and follow it.  We have nothing to fear.  

There are some things that I feel help when battling fear.

1.) Speak your fear out loud.  Satan can use fear to make us feel isolated and alone.  We assume that whatever we are facing, no one else is really going through it.  We hold it in and keep worrying.

2.)  Tell the fear to go!  Once you recognize a fear you can literally tell it to go.  I go back to that verse in 2 Timothy often.  God does NOT give us a spirit of fear.  

3.)  Read scripture and pray.  Have others pray for you.  I always thought this sounded like such an easy answer but well, it's true.  This is actually key.  Quoting God's promises from His word makes a big difference.  Those scriptures are about YOU! 

4.)  Visualize the other side.  If God has given you a promise or a calling, visualize the other side of it.  We can often lose hope when we are only looking at the circumstances around us.

 

Remember God is always good.  He is always with you. 

For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.  Isaiah 41:13

Each time I conquer my fears I feel more empowered.  I know that I'm getting rid of that spirit of fear and surrendering to the spirit of power.