F.E.A.R.
That elusive 4 letter word staring me down.
It can be tougher to chew on than a $2 Wal-Mart steak. It can steal your dreams quicker than a pickpocket on a crowded subway. And it always leaves you feeling empty, lost, broken, and utterly defeated.
But one way or another, we all have it…
Fear of heights, being wrong, public speaking, rejection, physical pain, failure, traumatizing memories, starting a new job, losing someone we love, and the terrifying unknown. I’m sure there’s a million more, but you get the idea.
Although each of our life experiences are different, the fear is just as real to all of us, in one form or another.
But we have a choice—our fears DO NOT have to define us. And fear should not be the end or the final say in how we live out our lives.
There. is. hope.
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears”
Psalms 34:4 (KJV)
My story, my life, and this journey I’ve walked so far….it knows all about fear. The fear that swallows you whole, one defeating bite after another. The fear that screams, your life is only worth what they define it to be. It’s the kind of fear that nearly blots you out, making you believe that all hope is lost and that the light will never shine again.
You see, the battle of life had left us bloody and wounded. We felt we were drowning in the bottomless pit of the ocean, as the imminent waves continued to pour over us.
Our only hope was to turn to God in our darkest hour.
And that’s just what we did. We gave it all to Him… the anger, the pain, the fear, the hopes… and all the dreams. We placed it all in His hands, wiped the slate clean on every side of the board, and sought Him out relentlessly.
“If you go to God, God will come to you.” -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
And that’s when it happened.That’s when his hand pulled us out of the darkness. Hope flooded our souls and light began to shine as it never had before. And, the most amazing thing? It began to extinguish the overwhelming fear.
So a new life was born. Free from anxiety. Free from the fear that held us back.
And now the Rock we stood upon, was greater than any fear that could be conjured up.
Our family has lived through some rough stuff, but in all honesty- we would never wish it to be any other way. Every experience in life gives us the chance to become who He really made us to be.
And conquering fear, oh, it sheds a whole new light on dreams you never knew existed. It opens the door to endless possibilities. And it makes for the most amazing adventure that life could ever take you on.
“Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go.” ―Ann Landers
Shared by: Lisa Larson
Oh Lisa, this is so beautiful!! Yes fear can hold us down and cover all the blessings…but God IS faithful and He redeems even the scariest of situations…that is such a blessing to me! I can’t wait to see where God is going to take your family and how He will use your story to bless others!
Oh, thank you for the sweet words today my friend!
I really enjoyed reading this post bit was very encouraging.
Thanks so much for the comment Makeda!
Fear is a lurking companion these days. I need to be vigilant.
I must turn away from fear and towards faith. Many times a day. Until it becomes so quick a movement, fear distinguishes.
Hearing that leaving fear behind not only pushes me forward in my faith, but also allows God’s dream to take shape in my life is a cool angle to the exercise.
Shelly, you said it girl, “I must turn away from fear and towards faith.” I know it can be so hard, but with God’s help, the outcome is so worth it! Thanks for your comment.
These words resonate with me because fear has been my constant companion since I was about five years old. For years I have been in bondage to its lies. I started the process of trying to untangle the truth from the lies a few years ago and have made progress although there is one fear that I find almost debilitating. I keep trying to overcome it and I keep falling back yet again. I know that this particular fear is the obstacle in the way of much freedom, independence and blessings unfulfilled. Please pray that God would show me the way to let go of the fear!
Ashley, I definitely understand where you are coming from! Fear and I have been best friends ever since I can remember, but I do know that with God’s help, it is possible to overcome. The daily struggles are so hard, but I will be praying for you, girl.
Fear can either swallow us whole, or become our bread. Ive let it swallow me whole many times. This has been the number one struggle in my life. Thank God for being our deliver, who turns it into bread for the journey. I’ve learned that traveling in the direction of fear leads to the promised land. Both the Israelites and Joshua had to face their fears to enter in.
Melinda, this has been my number one struggle too, but I love how you said, “I’ve learned that traveling in the direction of fear leads to the promised land. Both the Israelites and Joshua had to face their fears to enter in.” That is so true!
Wow!!! Such a powerful and beautiful word of encouragement. So much truth!!!! Thank you for this!!! Many times I ,too, have allowed it to swallow me whole.
Blessings to you,
Stacey
So grateful for your encouragement Stacey! Blessings to you as well 🙂
You are so right-fear is a 4-letter word. It creates such havoc in our lives and prevents us from living to our full potential. Anything that is unkown is equated with it. We all want to know our choices are going to lead us down the right roads; but, God wants us to live in the now and trust in Him- oh how difficult that can be at times. On those days, just showing up is
sometimes all we can muster. Let’s all keep resting in Him and laying our fears at the foot of the cross.
Great post, Lisa!
Thank you, Kristin. Life can be such a tough journey, but so grateful for the Lord’s steady hand that guides us through the darkness!
Lisa~not only do we share a beautiful name meaning God is Satisfaction, it sounds like our God has taught us similar lessons in finding satisfaction in Him. Bless you for your courage as you have stood and will stand firm in Him facing down the FEARs. You go girl!
Thank you so much for the encouragement, Lisa! And I LOVE that we share the same name 🙂
Love that about your names…how beautiful!!
Lisa,
What a wonderful testimony of God’s deliverance in your life…Thank you 🙂
Oh, thanks Dolly!
Thanks for the encouragement. For me that overcame a lot with the help of God, it was and is really amazing:)
Joy, you are so right…it is amazing! Thanks for the comment 🙂
I have loved seeing God’s hand in your new life. I am so grateful you and your family are being blessed. I also love the encouragement you give to all of us! Thanks
Thanks Tressa! Love you and your family so much!!
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