Trapped By FearSample

Fear 

My daughter was scared of the toilets that automatically flushed until she was five. She cried at the thought of the toilet, “surprising” her. I laugh now, but back then, it was incredibly frustrating. How could she be scared of toilets?!? That’s the thing with fear, it doesn’t take sides. It’s a powerful emotion that attaches to anyone and anything. If left unchecked, it becomes the driving factor behind many of our thoughts and decisions. To guard against this, we must build a strong foundation where fear doesn’t control who we are or what we do.

Fear protects us from danger, but it can also overtake our minds and control our lives. We become unbalanced and unhealthy when we focus on the power of fear instead of the power of truth. ‘What if’ questions consume our minds. What if I fail? What if people see the real me? What if my kids get hurt? These voices shout louder than all others and eventually overtake every area of our life. It dictates what we do, commands how we feel, and determines the risks we take.

To escape the weight of fear, we ignore our feelings and disguise our thoughts. We blame, excuse, lie, and compare, yet the fear continues to persist. These tactics distract us but do nothing to overcome the fear lurking beneath the surface.

If we continue to fight the way the world fights, fear will destroy us. We need to arm ourselves with God’s weapons. It may seem crazy, but power, love, and self-discipline are the most effective. They don’t just diminish the fear; they demolish it! Power gives us the strength to act despite the doubt and equips us to do whatever He calls us to do. Love allows us to look at ourselves and others the way God does. We are free from depending on love from others because our need for love is fully met by Christ. Self-discipline helps us resist temptation and focus on God’s truth instead of our wavering feelings or circumstances.

The only power fear possesses is the power we give it. Are you ready to fight? Start by making a list of your fears. God can’t fix what we won’t admit is wrong, so call it out no matter how big or small. Next, write the weapon, power, love, or self-discipline, that will defeat each fear. Jesus is waiting to walk with you in victory!