Faith Over Fear

Fear is a Liar

Fear, he is a liar
He will take your breath
Stop you in your steps
Fear he is a liar
He will rob your rest
Steal your happiness
Cast your fear in the fire
‘Cause fear he is a liar

Fear is a liar by Zach Williams

Fear is a liar! The enemy of our souls will use fear to paralyze and distract us from living the life that God has called us to live. This is true for me. I want to impact the world for Christ and lead others into a right relationship with Him, but then fear creeps in and derails me. I find myself doubting my calling and shrinking back. What if I fail? What if I make a fool of myself? Or worse, what if I let God down? Well you know what, no more! God did not create us to be fearful. He has given us power and courage!

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For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 

2 Timothy 1:7

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I have let fear control me for too long. In any big decision that I need to make, I will feel confident one minute that I have chosen correctly, then fear will creep in with the “what-if” scenarios and cause me to waver. This leads to instability, confusion and doubt. My thoughts race, my mind spins, my life seems out of control and the anxiety is compounded. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, I know I am not alone in this.

Tipping the Scale

How do we change this narrative? By knowing the heart of the Father and walking by faith in the destiny that he has set for each of us. This can only happen by spending regular time in study & prayer. This is where our faith blossoms and we draw closer to the God. I know this is an area I struggle with. Life is busy, right? I have three girls at home, grandkids, I’m a pastor’s wife, nurse, entrepreneur, and many other things. I get wrapped up in the busyness and neglect my time with the Lord all too often. When this happens, it’s a downward spiral in my spirit. I become irritable, short tempered and unhappy, losing sight of what is important and what God has called me to do. When I spend time daily with the Lord, my day goes so much smoother. I feel grounded in truth and equipped to live in a way pleasing to God and uplifting to others.

God has given each of us a beautiful story, a destiny that he has for us. My path is not your path, but they are equally important. Some are called to ministry, some to teaching, some to be stay-at-home moms, caregivers, nurses… the list goes on. Whatever path you’re on in this season of life, live it to the fullest! Faith and fear cannot co-exist. Press into who God has called you to be. When you do this, your faith expounds and fear fades. It’s like tipping a scale, with faith on one end and fear on the other. The more “weight” you place on the side of faith, the lighter your fear will become.

The Challenge

My challenge for you this week is to spend time with the Lord. I don’t care if it’s 5 minutes or 30 minutes. You can listen to a podcast or scripture in the car or while doing dishes, spend time reading scripture and praying, reading a devotional plan. Whatever it looks like for you is ok! I spent so much time worrying that I wasn’t doing the right reading plan, reading the right scriptures or praying the right way, that I just didn’t do it at all. Don’t fall into that rut. Jesus wants you, as you are right now, to spend time with him. Make it a priority today, you won’t regret it!