Cold Hard Facts About Fear

Fighting fear. 

This is something I've been thinking about off and on a lot lately. 

Warning. Contains cold hard facts.

Firstly, instead of just allowing the word fear to conjure up all sorts of images in your mind of what you are afraid of, lets look at the cold hard facts. 

Fear is not Truth.

Now here is something that is not often discussed or thought about. Fear is a sin. There's an uncomfortable thought. 

I can pretty much guarantee that everyone has experienced times of fear, maybe several times a day. We get all too used to it. Good or bad if you live with something long enough you become accustomed to it. maybe even start liking it, or relying on it. I have. I have felt like trusting fear was safer than trusting God. But more on that in a minute, how is fear a sin?

Fear not only means that you are not trusting God for whatever situation you are going through, but fear is idolatry. When I feel afraid I'm telling God that He must be incapable of handling whatever I'm feeling afraid of. I'm basically saying that He's not in control, I am. Then I cling to fear and trust it, and idolize it, put it where God should be in my heart and life. 

Examples from my personal life are:

Fear of not being accepted = God I'm not trusting you to give me friends right now, or the ability to find friendly people, even though you have provided these things for me every time we moved.

Fear of having to be perfect = God you made me, you guide me, and ask me to speak or do things sometimes but I can't do anything to attract attention, I'm the newbie or the child or the minority, so I just need to sit in the corner and not do what you have called me to do. 

Fear about money = God my parents stress about money whether we have it or not, and You have always provided for us, more than we need, but I'm gonna stress about it too and see if there's anything I can do to help use less money.

Fear of what other people think about me = God you handmade me as one of a kind and You Love me more than I can ever comprehend but what if other people don't like me. Their opinion of me must be pretty important, because they know who I am, their opinion of me may even be more important than the knowledge of me that the one who made me has.

Oh if only I could hear myself think sometimes!! But when I hold on to fear it disorients my thoughts. So that I forget who I am and who God is. These are necessary truths we must know very well to stay strong in life and battles. If we forget these things then it's so easy to stray off the path and idolize the things that we battle with. 

Remembering the Truths of God is so important.  

Once you're used to fear, it's so hard to change that mindset.

Proof of that is when I heard the connection of fear being a sin. What was my instant reaction? I felt scared. Almost panicked. I went to God to confess and beg His forgiveness because fear is a struggle for me, and I felt afraid that He would be angry with me, that perhaps His endless grace will have run out and He would leave me. Again, I clearly wasn't thinking and remembering who He is and who I am. He forgave me again and reminded me that I am Loved by Him. 

One thing He says every time I go to Him for forgiveness is, "You are Forgiven My Child, Be Free." Be free from the fear, guilt, and shame. Take on and accept His Love, Forgiveness, and Mercy. And the fact that He will never leave you or forsake you. He is always growing you, guiding you and preparing you for Heaven.