Tag Archive | fear

Rocking Chairs and Tornadoes

Oct3

 

With all the news as of late about natural disasters, it is really difficult to

“Be not afraid.” or “Fear not.”

Some events in our lives may make us feel like we are in those disasters,

even though physically, we may not be.

You know what I mean don’t you?

Are there things going on in your life that have the potential to

strike sorrow and fear into you?

If we compared these disasters, what would we find they have in common?

 I never gave this question much thought until I heard Nate Berkus recount his experience  of being swept away in a tsunami.                       

In the water with him were telephone poles, barbed wire, parts of trees and people’s homes …. and people.                                                   

All these things were swirling around him and beating his body, all the while he was fighting for his very life.

Is that how you feel right now?

 

        Is the debris of your life beating you while you are struggling to keep                              

your head above it all?

Are sorrow and fear and loss threatening to engulf you?

Do your circumstances feel like they are beating the life out of you?

   Consider this picture.

 

Your life is the tornado.

Debris is flying everywhere and the mayhem of it all is causing you mass confusion.

You are swirling around with this mess and there is no exit.

This is not too much of a stretch, if you are like many of the people you know.

The fact is, you may recognize some of those folks in the havoc, right along with you!

 

              Now push the pause button, and consider a different picture.

                      

The tornado is still there.

The debris is still flying and the mayhem is still circling you.

HOWEVER

 

The difference is that YOU aren’t anywhere to be found in the mass confusion.

YOU are firmly planted in the middle of the eye of that storm.

YOU are seated in a rocking chair.

                                                 What does that mean?????

Firmly seated in a rocking chair, in the eye of the storm?

 

The peace of your Father God is planted deeply in your heart.

 

YOUR heart is full of the knowledge that He is aware and in total control.

To be sure, there still may be sorrow and loss, but YOU do not have to live with fear.

 

How do I know this?

First off, I’ve had my fair share of living in fear. 

Secondly, the Word of God plainly states that if you know Him,

If you receive what His Son Jesus did for you on the cross,

then you need not be afraid.

(If you do not have the assurance of Jesus’ saving grace,

then please visit the “Rescue” page on this blog.)

I believe the word of God to be true. 

Every word.

So when He says not to be afraid (found over 80 times) in the Bible,

I choose to obey.

Notice I said “choose”.  Being afraid is not a sin.  

What you do with it could be.

You get to make that choice.

The only thing you are to fear is God.

That is a different fear.

Not spooky, creepy fear,

but a fear that is defined as being in awe of Him.

 

Here’s the ask.  For today. 

Use the following verses in your circumstances.  Today.

We can truly only do it for today.

Choose to let God be in control of your chaos.  Today.

Choose to sit in that rocking chair and relax while He takes on everything

that would set your heart to fear.  Today.

This is not an easy task.  The world we live in caters to fear.  Its goal is to make us afraid.

Just look at the nightly news.  (No wait, maybe you shouldn’t)

At any rate, giving your fear to God will get easier with practice.

Note: Remember ~ Doctors practice.  Lawyers practice. Athletes practice.

Why do they do so?  To get better at what they do.

I encourage you to practice not being afraid,

to sit and rest on your rocker, while God handles things.

 

Psalm 34:9  (NIV) Fear the LORD; you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.

 Lamentations 3:57  (NIV) You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.”

Isaiah 41:10  (NIV) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 (AMP)  Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice.

Fear

Sep2
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      I was four or five at the time.  Mean boys, a couple of years older than I, captured me and put me at the bottom of the tallest tree in my neighbors yard.  From there, they climbed to the lowest branch of that tree and taunted me.  “If you move, we’ll jump on you.”  “If you move, we’ll kill you.”  I didn’t know what “kill” meant, but I knew they were serious.  My heart fluttered and sputtered in my chest.  I could hear their words of torment loud even over the sound of my pounding heart in my head.

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      This is the first time I can actually remember where fear entered.  The truth was that even if I did not understand the meaning of “kill”, I definately understood the the malice in their tone of voice.  There was no one there to tell me the truth, that little boys don’t “kill” little girls.  There was no one there to stop the lie.  There was no one there to tell me how special I was, or that I did not have to believe all the horrible things they said that day.

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     Had I known the truth, I could have laughed at them and went home to my Mom.  I didn’t go to her though.  Instead I sat there terrified and let that terror nestle close into my heart. 

     Whether their actions would be true or not, I do not know.  What I do know is that even with the feel of the grass itching my skinny little kindergarten legs, my full bladder screaming to be released and the pounding of my heart was not enough to move me until the two decided they were tired of their little game and went home.

     Here’s what I’d like you to do today. 

     Learn at least one new truth about yourself according to God’s Word. 

     I’ve placed a couple of true statements from His Word, the Holy Bible here to get you started. 

     How do you know His Word true?  Or if His Word is a lie?  

     (If you do not know the answer to this question, then first refer to the Rescue Page of this blog.)  

      I’ll be here to help you, but the best thing is that God is always at our side.

      Psalm 23:4* Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me.

      Psalm 27:1* The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid? 

Experts say that if we repeat anything for twenty eight days, it becomes a habit. 

      Might I suggest that you write these truth words on a card and pocket them?  You can then pull them out throughout the day and remind yourself what God says about fear.

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      Your new habit will be to begin to recognize fear and your answer to it will be the Truth of His Word.

      Your new habit will begin to give you some peace in your heart.

      Your new habit will begin to renew your heart and your mind.

    new heart and mind new heart and mind new heart and mind new heart and mind new heart and mind new heart and mind new heart and mind 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Do You Fear?

Sep1

  

Right now, today, my answer would be launching this blog!

         Fear of failure or fear of success. 

         Both have the same polarizing effect.

         Both have the ability to make you sit and do nothing. 

What if … I write this blog and nobody reads it? 

What if … I write this blog and everybody and their brother reads it?

What if … no one comments and I sit and stare at the screen wondering why I’m doing this? 

What if … everyone comments and I’m not able to answer them all?

What if … no one relates to anything written here?

What if … I write this blog and lots of people learn how to become free?

What if? …

It seems silly; however this is a great example of how the fear in our minds can make us run in circles.  Of course the opposite could also happen and we could be paralyzed into inaction.  Either way, we accomplish nothing.

Control over fear may be gained in three ways.  I’m positive there are more, but I’ll share three;

1.      Keep to the positive questions.  Every time.

2.      Check the negative thoughts at the door.  Don’t let them stay.

3.      Ask the right questions – What is the worst/best thing that could happen?

God wants us to succeed.  His Word is full of plans for our achievements. 

One key is that we must control the thoughts that we allow in and out of our minds.

Romans 12:2 in the NIV says this:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.

It’s there.  Do you see it?  Be transformed – by renewing your mind!

You CAN control these thoughts.  If it were not so, He would not have asked you to do it.

Thoughts left to wander inside our minds unchecked, have the tendency to roam around in there and make themselves at home.  These thoughts tend to make a mess everywhere they go.  Left unattended, the mess grows larger, and over time is far more difficult to kick them to the curb.

This is where asking the right questions come in.  What is the worst/best thing that could happen?  Well in my case, the worst would be that no one came and no one commented.  No one could relate.  On the other hand, if all went well, many would come, many would comment.  Most everyone could relate in some way.  The coolest part of either of this scenario is that I still win.  I’ve done the work.  I’ve studied it out.  I’ve grown in my relationship with God, and these lessons will stay with me into eternity.

I continue to fail at this, but that’s ok, it is much less over time.  I intentionally do what we talked about.  Some days more than others but, the inaction is turning into action.  The longing to do something is turning into passion.  Passion is turning into the doing of things I had only thought I might do before.  Won’t you join me?

You too, can win.  Ask the positive questions.  Kick out the negative thinking.  Ask yourself the right question.  Take that step toward action.  You win! 

Would you mind sharing what makes YOU afraid?    How do YOU control it?