“Who wants to live in fear?” my
friend asks…my obvious response is, “nope, not me!” yet it is exactly where I
find myself right now. I grasp that fear is not of the Lord and in all reality
the enemy uses it in a mighty way to create a strain on something that is good
and of the Lord.
The definition of fear is, “the feeling of anxiety;
frightening thought; reverence; and worry” some synonyms include: terror,
dread, horror, fright, panic, trepidation and apprehension. Can anyone tell me
which of those are feelings from the Lord? Exactly, what I thought…none. Even
the realization of this “living in fear” is fearful and something I want to
reject and justify, but in all actuality the Lord has just given me the peace I
need for today. There are many scriptures on peace and provision, some I will
mention have helped me remember His truths and promises now: Psalm 68:9-10,
Isaiah 42:16, Isaiah 26:3-4 and Matthew 6: 25-34.
I don’t want to live in a pocket of
fear. It creates a turmoil inside of me that feels like a constant battle
between right and wrong. The conclusion that I have come to at this time is
that I know and can honestly say that the Lord has not told me "no". There is
nothing about the situation that creates red flags or is sinful at this point, other then the fear I am letting myself be entangled in.
2 Peter 2:19-21
English
Standard Version (ESV)
19 They promise
them freedom, but they themselves are slavesa of corruption. For
whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.20 For
if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the
knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them
and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the
first. 21 For it would have been better for
them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn
back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
Here, Peter is writing to those of
the faith and describes some of the truths being taught by others. In chapter 2
he beings by acknowledging false prophets and teachers in the area bringing
heresies and destruction to those who follow it. Once we accept Jesus into our
hearts, we are freed from the entanglements of sin (fear, insecurities, and so
on), but our flesh is our own corruption due to the fall. Our hope we can find in this, is
the Lord’s forgiveness and grace, which leads to peace and security after repentance and surrender.
In new situations our first
reaction is to fear…it is the unknown that drives us to this place of
discontentment. Yet, we are called to be content with where the Lord has us at
this present time. I so often find myself living in thought of the future and
the truth is that- the Lord does not give us the peace and direction for even
tomorrow (most of the time). He does when we seek Him for that day…the present
day. So, why rush to understand something that He himself has given you peace
for in the today?
Like I said before, I can honestly say that I have no red
flags to move forward that are from the Lord. It is all from me! That is in
return saying that I would desire what I think is my good (which can and does
lead to destruction) rather then the Lord’s good. Who would you want to guide
you?
I’m going to put this out there so
I can look back on it and remember, so take this as a statement and hold me to
it…(I think I can ask you to do that)- I am fearful of: it being right, of
being moved from what I have known for so long (singleness), letting go,
allowing someone “in”, acceptance from others, others thoughts, thinking I’m
crazy and to much work, heart break, and honestly I could go on, but I am
making myself sick to think of all of this, when I just spent the last page
stating why not to fear.
So, I will stop…take a breath…speak
the Lord’s promises into my heart…smile…thank Him for today…and by joyful.
This is where He has me right now
and what is in front of me, so as I do with almost everything else- Go For IT
in surrender and direction from the Lord! It could be something that glorifies
the Lord to a great measure. If I say that I exist to glorify the Lord, then I need to stop
the stinkin fear!
Lovely piece Erin. You bring to my mind that growth and progress in anything is achieved by taking a new step forward into whatever is not known or fully understood. You are stepping through that fear of whatever darkness may bring.
ReplyDeleteTaking "that" step is an act of personal courage and faith in yourself. It is the strength of your convictions and the knowledge that you can deal with whatever the consequence of moving through the unknown may be that provides you with the brilliant light of your life.
Be true to yourself.
Thanks Pops...although, it's definitely not personal courage or faith in myself...that would be a mess of destruction. It may be unknown to me, but not to God :) Love you
Delete