All the Feels // Fear
Have you ever wondered how you were going to get through a particularly hard season or situation? Especially when fear begins to set in and play all sorts of mind games. Me too. In fact, if I’m completely transparent with you, I’ve been know to catastrophize. Which means I’ve had a tendency of believing the worst may happen in a particularly hard situation.
We all struggle at times or have struggled with fear. Isaiah 41:10 speaks to this emotional state of mind.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
When you might feel fear or be dismayed, remind yourself of what God speaks in this verse--He will strengthen you, help you, and uphold you. The God who controls all things will be there to protect and aid you in your fear.
In addition, Psalm 55:22 encourages you to cast your burden on Him.
“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”
You’re encouraged to do this because He can handle it; God can handle anything you give Him. Your worries, fear, shame, doubt--none of it’s too much for Him to bear.
Furthermore, when you do cast it all on Him, He will sustain you. This means in your fear, God wants you to know that you can lean on Him. That He will take care of you in the darkest of seasons.
Will you let Him sustain you? Or will you carry it all alone?
Fear is a theme we find quite common in the Bible. I suppose this might be because our human nature is often prone to fear when things are uncertain and our view is not in the right place. Unless trained otherwise, this can be our default.
All of our sins are rooted in fear. For example, a fear of not being good enough can manifest in the need for recognition, thus igniting pride and advancement in our heart. Or the fear of not being accepted can create a desire to please people. Whatever your struggle, there is a connection to a deep seeded fear. And with that fear, with that struggle, is an obstacle in your life.
Fear is a hindrance to the enjoyment of life. When you allow fear and anxiety to take shape, you’re allowing something to hinder the fullness of your life. It paralyzes you, immobilizes you, causes you to question moving forward.
If you’re living in fear today or might be prone to go there, prepare yourself to face your past and the fears you pushed back into the corners of your soul so that you can be an overcomer by the power of Christ! You don’t have to live there, nor is it what God has for you, so commit to a new way of life today.
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
