Choosing Faith Over FearSample

 Day 2:  Fear Steals 

Yesterday we discussed how fear lies. Today we’re going to talk about how when we let fear stick around for long enough, it can literally steal from us. One of the things I love is skateboarding. Ever since I picked up a board as a child, I have been chasing the feeling of freedom I get when skating. When it comes to trying something new on my board, fear is always trying to steal from me. What I have learned over the years is that, on the other side of the opposition that fear brings, there is a victory that is always worth fighting for.

You don’t have to participate in an extreme sport to have fear waiting to steal from you. There could be a new promotion at the office that you fear you have to perform at a higher level to achieve. In return, you choose staying late at your job over spending time with your family. Maybe there is a new group of friends you have met, and you fear you won’t fit in. So, you choose to give up your values and beliefs to be liked by people you have just met and end up in situations and places you never intended to be. Fear steals.

Often when we see opposition, we let fear steal the most important thing from us. It steals our image of how we view God. We have to switch our perspective and take our eyes off the fear of opposition. Next, we need to turn our eyes to God. When we view God as the almighty, powerful, loving, and never-failing God that he is, our fear in opposition will almost disappear. The same God that moves mountains, splits seas, raises the dead, and created us from dust has no opposition. Let’s choose to view God as he is and there will be no fear when opposition comes.

Focus: I’m going to challenge you to do something crazy today. I want you to try something new, no matter the opposition. It could be something as small as ordering that new seasonal coffee that looks good, but you’ve always ordered the same thing because you fear it won’t taste as good. If you really want to push fear back, you could try a new date night activity with your spouse. My fiancé loves dancing—I’m talking she was the lead on her dance team in high school, made the dance team in college—and I’m still figuring out how to walk most days. I’m tired of letting fear steal that joy from us because of my insecurities. The challenge for myself is to purchase a fun dance class for couples as a date night activity. If I can take back from fear, so can you!