Fear

God taught me something today that I think is really important.

I was praying about something that if it should fail is really going to take a toll on my heart. I'll be disappointed, even though I know that any outcome would be God's sovereign plan for me, it would still make my heart ache for a little while. I was praying about taking a step, and about letting go of inhibitions, asking God if I should be be giving up on things because if I put too much into it, the disappointment of failure would be bitter. Having imagined something and never getting to experience it would be painful. Having dreamt up this wonderful vision of how i think something should be in my mind, and then having it taken away from me would be a hard blow to bear. However, God reminded me of something...when in scripture has He ever said (and feel free to correct me if i'm wrong) to live in fear? Besides living in fear of Him, when does God say "oh, i think you should be a little more cautious with this one, hold back a little." He doesn't. Living in fear is NOT living by faith. What have we to fear when our faith is in Christ? What could possibly happen to me that i couldn't bear, when I am rooted in Him?

God doesn't call us to live comfortably in a shell. He plants within each of us passions and desires that are OF Him. If He reveals to you what those are there is no way that you shouldn't be stepping out in faith to pursue them. Faith is everything! Live by faith not by sight, live by what you know is true of God, not by wordly standards and most definitely not by fear.

In Deuteronomy 31:6 and in Joshua 1:6, He tells us to be strong and courageous...He will never forsake you. Take a minute to think about the word "courage". How many times have you held back from something because you were afraid of the outcome, and because you were lacking courage? He tells us to HAVE courage! BE courageous and BE strong! If you are holding fast to the Lord, and you take that leap of faith, of being totally and utterly dependent on Him, of putting yourself completely in His hands, there is no way that you'll be defeated by failure. Having FAITH is knowing and believing God's goodness. Give yourself to Him, submit yourself to His will.
Have courage and have strength. Live by His word.

2 Timothy 1: 6-7 says "..I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God...for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control".
First of all it says fan into flame the gift of God...not extinguish it with worry. Feed into those desires that you know are from God! He put those there so that He would be glorified through you.
Also, it says God GAVE me a spirit of power...NOT of fear. When I am in Him, there is nothing that I should be afraid of. I shouldn't be afraid of failure, disappointment, heartbreak, of needing something, etc. The only thing I should fear is being far from Him. If I am with Him and I dwell in Him and He is with me in all things, there is nothing that I should fear.

Psalm 118: 6--the Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?