I don't know why I'm so scared of things. Snakes, sharks, sea-creatures, planes, intruders, storms, the list could go on and on. I just am. It's not one of my favorite things about myself and it is definitely something I am trying to change. I don't want to live my life in fear or be scared to make a wrong choice or be too afraid to try something new. I want to live fearlessly for Christ!
I so admire fearless people. People who climb things, jump off things, move to new cities, people who are fearless. That's just not me, or at least it isn't yet.
Recently in my quiet time I've been working through different areas of life that cause me to get "stuck" or stagnant in my walk with the Lord, and well fear and anxiety are big ones for me. I've been praying and working with the Lord on what it looks like for me to be fearless, obviously this isn't going to be the same for everyone. But I know in my heart that the Lord is calling me to give it all to Him, my hopes, my dreams, my fears, my insecurities, and my anxieties. 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxieties on Him, for He cares for you." What a serious blessing that not only CAN we give it God, but he WANTS us to give it all to Him! God doesn't want me to be burdened with fears, He wants me to trust and rely on Him and Him alone!
That verse runs ramped in my head multiple times throughout the day! When life starts to seem overwhelming or I'm in a situation that would normally cause me stress and anxiety I hold tight to HIS promise in Matthew 6:33-34, "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today." God will, not maybe, but will provide for all of my needs--without question and without fail. He is my Father, Protector, Healer, Friend, the list goes on and on. I have to be confident and trust that He will give me everything I need. I love how the verse says don't worry about tomorrow; for one we're not guaranteed tomorrow, so why worry about something that could quite possibly never happen, but what I really take away from it is that God calls me to be obedient and trust-worthy now. He doesn't want me to play the "what-if" game with the future-whether the future be tomorrow, a month, or even years for now. Each day I'm called to trust, obey, serve and be fearless! I don't want to spend my life worrying or wondering what could go wrong, I want to live confidently in the Lord each day I'm given!
A big issue that God's been putting on my heart lately in relation to fear and anxiety is trust. I feel God asking me who do I trust? Honestly, I don't trust people very easily because I'm scared of being hurt or rejected. But I feel God continually ask me, "Heather do you trust Me? Do you trust Me when your life seems out of control? Do you trust me when you are being misunderstood? Do you trust Me when you're considering HUGE life decisions? Do you trust Me when you're longing to be married and there isn't a potential husband in your sight? Do you trust Me when I ask you to risk your comfort and your security? Do you trust Me?"
My response is how can I not, even though it's scary. I don't know any other response my heart could give. God has called all of me to be in complete surrender to Him. He doesn't want just the parts of my life that are easy for me to relinquish control of. He wants the tough stuff, He wants my future, my fears, my hopes, my dreams, my everything.
God is calling me to a place of complete freedom, and that place cost Christ everything. How could I not trust a living God who created me and knows me better than I could ever know myself? How could I not surrender every fear and every anxiety to Him?
God is God. No circumstance or situations could or will ever change that. God's promise to me is that He'll never leave me or forsake me, and that is more than enough for me.
Today and everyday, I'm choosing to trust in the Lord. I'm choosing to lay my fears down regardless of how big or small they might be and live in the complete freedom that God offers through Jesus. I'm choosing peace. And, I'm choosing to be fearless because as it says in 2 Timothy 1:7, "God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-disipline."
I'm choosing Jesus!
you could write a book!
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