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“SHIFT YOUR FOCUS”
One of the worst consequences of fear is that when it strikes it causes us to assume the worst. We fail the exam and we think we will never get a good job. We get dumped, or go through a divorce, and assume we will always be on our own.
If we let it, fear takes over and runs wild in our minds, and we begin to invent worst-case scenarios. Fear causes us to have vision without optimism, to see a future without hope.
There is a famous story in Matthew 8 in which Jesus is hanging out with his disciples on a boat. He is asleep when a storm hits, and immediately the disciples run to Jesus to wake him up and say, ‘Jesus! Don’t you care that we are going to drown?’
Bear in mind that at this point they are still safe on the boat; they are not in the water, yet they are visualizing their deaths. This is what fear does. It dictates a false reality and causes us to assume the worst.
What we give attention to, we also give authority to. So the key is to shift our focus, and this will allow us to shift our fear, because whereas fear may well be present, we don’t need to allow it to be president of our mind. Let’s say we go to the famous Kings Cross train station in London.
We can get on one train to the North of England or we can get on another train to Paris. One station, two trains, with two entirely different destinations. It is exactly the same with our mind.
We can get on one ‘train of thought’ that focuses on the situation and gives way to fear; that is the train of doubt and negativity and the destination is defeat. Or we can shift our focus and fix our minds on the Word of Jesus; that is the train of faith and hope and the destination is victory.
Today, look for opportunities to shift your focus. Like the author of the Psalm says, God can free us from all our fears, it just requires a shift in focus. God is stronger than our situation, more powerful than our problem, so let’s focus on him, rather than what is intimidating us.
One of the worst consequences of fear is that when it strikes it causes us to assume the worst. We fail the exam and we think we will never get a good job. We get dumped, or go through a divorce, and assume we will always be on our own.
If we let it, fear takes over and runs wild in our minds, and we begin to invent worst-case scenarios. Fear causes us to have vision without optimism, to see a future without hope.
There is a famous story in Matthew 8 in which Jesus is hanging out with his disciples on a boat. He is asleep when a storm hits, and immediately the disciples run to Jesus to wake him up and say, ‘Jesus! Don’t you care that we are going to drown?’
Bear in mind that at this point they are still safe on the boat; they are not in the water, yet they are visualizing their deaths. This is what fear does. It dictates a false reality and causes us to assume the worst.
What we give attention to, we also give authority to. So the key is to shift our focus, and this will allow us to shift our fear, because whereas fear may well be present, we don’t need to allow it to be president of our mind. Let’s say we go to the famous Kings Cross train station in London.
We can get on one train to the North of England or we can get on another train to Paris. One station, two trains, with two entirely different destinations. It is exactly the same with our mind.
We can get on one ‘train of thought’ that focuses on the situation and gives way to fear; that is the train of doubt and negativity and the destination is defeat. Or we can shift our focus and fix our minds on the Word of Jesus; that is the train of faith and hope and the destination is victory.
Today, look for opportunities to shift your focus. Like the author of the Psalm says, God can free us from all our fears, it just requires a shift in focus. God is stronger than our situation, more powerful than our problem, so let’s focus on him, rather than what is intimidating us.
Scripture
About this Plan
The aim of this study is to enable young people to overcome social fears and find Biblical tools to live a fearless life. The first seven days focus on the top social fears, whereas the second seven days focus on action points and practical tips for facing fears.
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