Faith over Fear

 Happy Saturday morning! I hope everyone is doing well this morning. I must report back that our vacation was great and honestly, I don't think any of us realized how badly we needed it. We got back to reality Saturday evening and I think I realized, maybe for the first time in my life, how much a reset can truly help.

Of course, problems didn't just go away while we were gone, we just put them on hold for a week. I had just this week made some decisions about Mom's stuff, some decisions that would have went against what the experts were telling me to do. I had faith over fear on my mind. Then, other things happened and I realized God was showing me I needed to go back to my original plan, so I thought I would share what I worked through this week.

My favorite Bible verse since I was 11 has been Isaiah 41:10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed for I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, yea, I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee on the right hand of my righteousness. 

There is SO much in this verse:

God says:

    I am with you.

    I am your God.

    I will strengthen you

    I will help you

    I will uphold you.

God doesn't feel the need to lay out the whole plan, which we would love, but that wouldn't require any faith. He says, "I am here". 

I have a thing about this verse. It seems it shows up from other people when I am getting ready to need it. Almost a little warning sign, as God says, "It's your time up to bat for a trial". I have been working on some documents at work this week and some have asked what I have been doing for professional development. You list what classes you have been taking, educational events you have attended and so forth. It dawned on me this week that those trials God sends us through are professional development for being His workers. 

I actually laid awake Thursday night, worrying about something that might happen. I was trying to decide if God was putting it in my head or was the devil trying to derail me. I had made some decisions based on thinking I was letting fear and worry guide me instead of faith. Yesterday evening, I found out that what I was worried about truly did end up happening. Thank you God for answers, even when I don't like the answer. 

Yesterday morning I had found a couple of verses to focus on:

Matthew 6:34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. 

Fear usually lives in the "what if", Faith lives in the "God is with me today". That doesn't mean we ignore reality. It means we refuse to let imagined futures become bigger than God's present faithfulness.

So, some things I am choosing to hang on to as I move forward and am sharing these with you, that you might lean on them too.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. 

Sometimes we get to thinking, "Once I know how this will end, then I'll trust", that's not faith. That's having to have facts and there is no faith involved.

You have to realize God is saying, Trust me, I will guide you. It may be to places you don't want to go, but it is places you need to go. 

None of us want to go through losing our parents, but it is an event most of us will live through and navigate and how our outlook on life is through that is going to depend largely on how much we can trust that God really is in control and everything's gonna be alright.

Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.

Paul doesn't say to never feel anxious, or that feeling anxious is a sin. He says, remember who you are, who you belong to and take Him your worries. Pray, tell God what you need, thank Him and let his peace guard your heart and mind. 

Peace doesn't remove the storm but it guards you while you are in it.

And finally Psalms 77:11-14 I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all they works, and talk of they doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God? Thou are the God that doest wonders; thou has declared thy strength among the people. 

Fear says God won't come through.

Faith says Look at all the times He already has. 

Where has God carried you before? When did He provide unexpectedly, when has He given peace that didn't make sense? Those memories become evidence of His character. 

So today, I pray.

Father, today I choose faith over fear, you already know everything that weighs on my heart. Help me to remember that You are already present in every moment that I'm worried about. Give me courage for today- not because I know what will happen, but because I know You. When fear grows loud, remind me of Your promises. Help me trust You one step at a time and rest in Your faithfulness. Amen.

One final thing popped in my head:

In Mark 4, Jesus and His disciples are caught in a violent storm. Jesus doesn't calm the storm immediately, He sleeps through part of it. The disciples conclude that because the storm is big, Jesus must not care. But His presence in the boat meant they were never abandoned.

Faith isn't believing there won't be a storm. It's believing that Jesus is still in the boat.

Have a great weekend!

~M