Surrendering Our Fears
My sister just recently bought me a lovely cup that says, “She is fearless because He is faithful“. The quote is based on Psalm 23:4 which reads, “Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.”
This reminder is so comforting! When we walk through fears and trials, no matter how dark they look, God is right there, protecting and comforting us! I loved the reminder and reassurance of God and His presence!
Knowing that God cares about all the details of life, we can have faith in Him through the thick and thin. But sometimes when our concerns are seemingly small, it can be easy to think that we have it under control, no need to bother God with it. But that’s not the case at all! He loves for us to come before Him with the large things as well as the small.
I believe it is vitally important that we are sure to come to God, especially with the little things. If we decide to “handle” the little things on our own, then we are deciding that we don’t need God – never a wise place to be. If we decide we don’t need Him for the small things, what about the almost-as-small-but-slightly-larger things? No problem, we’ve got that too … and the process repeats itself until we fantasize that we don’t need to bother God with anything at all.
On the other hand, if we will get in the habit of seeking Him in every little area, I believe we will have greater faith and trust in Him in the bigger things! Little things add up quickly! And this is a fabulous way to strengthen our faith in God and build a closer relationship with Him!
What Do You Fear?
What are your fears? Why, you might wonder, would you need to identify them? Because I think it is good to intentionally acknowledge them, ask God to help you with them and then move on. To try to cover them up or ignore them is not going to make them go away. Specifically identifying them and praying about them will help you move past them. Often, when your fears are floating around in your mind, they are enormous. But intentionally consider them, recognize them, and address them and you will find that they are much smaller than you initially thought.
So, what are your fears? Perhaps you can’t think of any right off, so let me help. Typically, when I think of fears, I am quick to decide I don’t really have any. I associate fears with fearing for my life, fearing impending doom, or fearing getting hurt. True, those are extreme fears, but for some reason, that’s what I think of when I consider the word “fear”. And since I really don’t fear any of those things, I don’t think I have any fears.
But the truth is, we all have fears. It is just part of being human. These fears come in the form of uncertainties, unknowns, concerns and troubles, among other things. They are the little negative things that ping at us and remind us just how human we are.
But, when viewed correctly, our fears are actually great blessings! They are everyday reminders to return our focus and attention to God! When Paul said that power was perfected in weakness, I believe this is part of what he was talking about! Our weaknesses, our seemingly small struggles and fears, are perfected in God’s incredible power!
So instead of being distressed and discouraged over our struggles, we can put our shoulders back, take a deep breath and be encouraged that they draw us closer to God! They allow us to know God on a deeper level!
Growing up, one of my favorite songs went something like this:
“I cast all my fears upon You [God]. I lay all of my burdens down at Your feet. And anytime I don’t know just what to do, I will cast all my cares upon You.”
Onward and Upward
One last thing that I want to share is something I read in a book: Fear is the negative form of faith. Faith believes in the unknown for wonderful things, while fear believes in the unknown for negative things. Isn’t that interesting?
So let us move onward and upward fearlessly because we serve a faithful God! And let’s be sure to encourage and be a blessing to each other!
What are some ways that you have learned to surrender your fears and strengthen your faith in God? I’d love it if you would share!
Until Next Time!
Hope.