Breaking Free from Fear

When I was young I was afraid of snakes and speaking in public. I was so very thankful I didn't live anywhere near poisonous reptiles. Still, going barefoot was a cautious exercise...especially in tall grass....you just never know!

And when it came to school I did what many children do to avoid giving answers out loud...don't make any eye contact with the teacher. I remember saying over and over in my head...please don't say my name, please don't say my name. Funny, many times I had a pretty good answer swirling around in my head but the fear of being wrong and looking stupid was stronger than the wondering if my idea might be brilliant.

I think every person, if they are honest, struggles with being afraid of different things. Even as adults, echoes of childhood fears may be present. I still hate snakes! A spider I'll smash but a snake will put me on a chair.

As we grow we move from fears of the dark or crawling things, to being a disappointment to others, being alone, experiencing rejection and even losing someone we love. I've had a few lessons in these areas and I know it is a lifelong process.

One thing we know without any doubt is that fear is not from God. It's the opposite of faith. The Bible tells us that we have not been given a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind. It also says that without faith it is impossible to please God. So, like so many other things it's a choice we have to make.

I had an interesting dream this week. I was in a mall and all the stores were jail cells. People in each cell were planning escapes watching for the guards that manned the hallways. The guards looked intimidating however they were not armed with weapons. The other eye opening thing was that the cells were not closed. You could easily just walk out...and yet the people stayed. They were trapped by their fears.

When I woke up my heart was pounding....but I clearly heard the Lord say to me...you just have to choose to walk out, take a risk and confront what you are afraid of. I love what Joyce Meyer says about fear. She reminds us we can't wait for the feeling of fear to go...we need to "do it afraid."

This brings me to a few nuggets of truth I've learned so far about breaking out of our fears...each one of us has different ones. But it is possible for us to conquer our fears through our trust in God's power and love.

About the fear of failing and the fear of man...when I focus on trying to live perfectly, trying to make sure everyone is happy with me and that everyone thinks I'm okay, the result are not pretty. I become bound in my mind. I end up strangled by my fears. I cannot live up to this self-imposed standard. BUT when I focus on living with passion I find myself connected to a deep place inside. When I live with passion I can live courageously, setting fear aside.

On learning to trust others...whenever we make ourselves vulnerable and expose our heart, we will almost always make a few mistakes. But we grow in personality and character and relationship by taking risks. AND if you fall down, you are so very normal...just make sure you get right back up.

Never forget that overcoming fear is a process. The best weapon for fighting is the truth of God's Word. Psalm 27 is one of my favorite verses I speak out when the "feeling" of fear seems to be overwhelming. The beginning says..."The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?"

Whatever your battle is, it's not too much for the Lord. Give it to Him and make the choice to trust Him with your fears. He will make the most of your shortcomings and your fears will become scars that are symbols of victory.