Fear

During quiet time this morning I was going back over my notes from the Girlfriends Going Deeper conference I recently attended.

Fear... We all have it about something. Some have it more than others and a few have it to where it paralyzes their lives. Have you ever met someone so afraid that they have ceased to live? I have and it's heart-breaking. I can only imagine how God weeps when one of His has a life driven by fear instead of Him. Don't get me wrong, I know we all get overtaken with fear (or other sin/weakness) at times. We all have those issues that take over God's place in the pilot seat, but hopefully it's a temporary loss of perspective rather than a long-lasting or permanent one.

So I got thinking today. Am I being driven by fear? Is it a healthy fear, one that drives me towards God? Or is it a fear that leads me further from Him, keeping my focus on it (fear) instead of God? At the conference, Lysa TerKuerst said "When we get so afraid and focus on the object of our fear, that object becomes bigger and bigger. It's only when we take our focus off that fear and put it onto God that He can put things back into perspective."

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

Have you ever really thought about that verse? Have you ever looked at the definition of timidity? As I prepared for the jr. high small group lesson last week, we were talking about this exact verse and I did some digging. I've always thought of timidity as shyness or meekness and haven't necessarily equated it with fear. Dictionary.com lists these definitions: (1) lacking in self-assurance, courage, or bravery; easily alarmed; timorous; shy. (2) characterized by or indicating fear.

How many times have we missed out on living because we were "lacking in self-assurance, courage or bravery?" I know I have missed plenty of opportunities over my lifetime. Many years ago I decided to quit living in the fear of failing. I don't like to fail (actually I used to hate it). As I surrendered that fear, my attitude/perspective adjusted and God's perspective took over and I began to see all the opportunities for growth that can come out of failure. Opportunities to learn and grow that wouldn't otherwise be present in my life. Opportunities to learn to lean on Christ's power and His love and to become closer to Him. It's still not alwayys that easy—that darn pride gets in the way at times. As I look back over 38 years though, I see how Christ has fulfilled His promises in my life (Jeremiah 29:11). The promise that if I let Him, He can take any situation, any decision, any wrong and tweak it to be something that can reflect back beautifully on Him.

I am frequently awed by how that's possible. How can Christ take a desperately broken girl—one filled with anger, hate, worldly influence and sin, fear, rebellion, selfishness, pride, lies and more—how does she become the woman that is seen today? Nothing but the blood and power of Christ.

So when that temptation to slip into old habits or feelings come, I am reminded of this verse in Timothy. This promise that when I gave my life to Christ, when I gave Him my all and told Him, You are in control and everything I am is for You, He has promised to give me His power and His love. How can I live in fear? How can I deny what He's already done in my life?

Isaiah 54:10
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

If I/we grasp that incredible love from God that Isaiah mentions, why would I/we ever be afraid?