Facing Fears

Do you ever stop and recognize you have a fear of something? As a human we all have had fears of one kind or another at different points. When we were little people we may have had a fear of the dark. Or we may have had fear of strangers. Maybe even a fear of trying new things, like food or activities. What are you afraid of?

This is on my mind today as my husband and I are packing our car to travel to Lake Tahoe. Fear is on my mind? Why? Well, we are participating in a challenging event for me: 100 mile cycling around Lake Tahoe this Sunday.

Fear is a funny thing really. It is simply thinking about something that could be a dangerous experience that hasn't happened yet but we imagine it to be reality. This description is an oversimplification of our emotions but truly it boils down to us giving emotional attention to something that hasn't happened.

How do we face fear and call it for what it is? We speak the Truth to ourselves. Over and over again. Truth? What truth? God's Word to us. He is mindful of our frame. He has given us all that we need to face fear. Good news is: He has overcome the world. So if God is for us, who can be against us?

He promises us so many wonderful truths to hide in our heart so the Holy Spirit can bring them to mind when we are facing fear. Here are two that I am clinging to as I go into this weekend:

"Do NOT FEAR, for I AM with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I AM your GOD. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Is. 41:10)

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected (mature) in love." (1 Jn. 4:18)

So I would love to know you are praying for me as I face these two fears of pain, (like a crash) and of failure, (like we can't complete the ride). They are silly to express because in the light of Who God is these fears pale in comparison, but like so many things, if we don't bring them out into that Light, then they have the power of darkness to overwhelm and hinder us.

There they are. I am facing my current fears. How about you? What are you afraid of? Bring it out into the Light; share it with a friend and ask them to be praying for you. Face that fear and in the Power of Christ, overcome!