When I am afraid

I have been realizing something about myself lately, and it is this: I am fearful. Fear is something that can start from basically nothing, and grow to an overwhelming size in a matter of moments if only you allow your thoughts to take flight. The enemy loves to play the "fear" game with all of us, and I know, the enemy knows what I fear, and it's most likely what all mothers fear.

It probably can go unsaid, but for the sake of clarity, I will say, what burdens me most is the fear of something catastrophic happening to my children...either the ones I am blessed to care for now, or the ones I have blessed to carry inside of me, I fear for them. And that fear can eat a person alive....

Jesus said this: Do not let your hearts be troubled...trust in God, trust also in me... (John)

He is trustworthy is He not? I trust Him with everything, so I say...and each night as I lay my children down to sleep, I place them in His faithful, trustworthy, and loving care until they awake, and I can care for them once more. But why then, do I still fear? Because I give into it, and allow the enemy his foothold. I tell him with my thoughts, as he conjures up all the possible scenarios of danger for me, that I give in, and I think on those thoughts.

I no longer want this to be my story. I don't have to accept a life lived in fear! Fear is not only contrary to Christ, it is God alone that we are to fear. So when I fear others things, more than I fear God, I think I may be sinning...

He knows my heart, He knows my love for my children, and He holds the keys to my freedom from fear...and I want them. So, as I was tempted the other moment, :) to fear, and run to my children, wondering if there was still breath in them, I clung to His words..."Do not let your hearts be troubled...trust me." And friends, out went fear, and in came peace.

So it is with all things we fear...for me, as a mother, and at this stage of my life that is what bogs me down...but for you, it may be something very different..

It may be fear of the unknown, fear of the future that looms, fear of your past, fear of your death, fear of ...you fill in the blank, but I think if we are all honest with something, there is something that we fear...and it can cripple us at times. I not only felt crippled, I felt paralyzed.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." Proverbs 9: 10a

"When you lie down, you will not be afraid, when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet, Have no fear of sudden disaster..." Proverbs 3: 24,25

No fear of sudden disaster, and the only one I need to fear is the Lord, and fully, we have great reason to trust Him alone, and fear Him alone. The fear of the Lord is much different from the fear of pain and suffering. The fear of the Lord means this: We know, He holds all power, all control, and all things that come through to us in life. We know that He loves us so much He sent His son to die for us. We know we are only touched by things in life that He allows. And so we know that when certain trials come our way, they are only allowed in measures He knows we can handle. That is scripture in living color my friends, and it is not something that tremble with fear because we do not trust, completely the opposite my friends, we fear Him in reverence because of all of His power, and because of the knowledge that He holds this power, we fear. Not because we do not trust Him.

It's with confidence we can walk forward in life because His rules of life, gravity and existence are in place. I often ask myself, how do those without Christ deal with life and all it's struggles? When they are the ones "who are in control.." Oh, I shudder at the thought. The anxiety that must accompany such a belief. The fear that must wrap them up each night, knowing it's their responsibility to protect their lives, not God. I would never let sleep touch my eyes!

But friends, the hope I have in Christ, the hope that you have in Christ, wraps us in peace, and when fear knocks on our door, wrapped in all kinds of possible scenarios...we not only do not answer the door, we boldly shout, "In Christ I trust! It's Christ alone I fear! And I will not be afraid because of Him!" And fear, puts it's tail between it's legs, in once again, in Christ, we are more than conquerors! So I say this,

"When I am afraid, give me Jesus. Give me Jesus, give me Jesus, you can have all the rest, just give me Jesus..." ( A line from a song I love)