Wednesday, October 29, 2008

ARE YOU WILLING TO "DO IT AFRAID"?

Years ago I moved to house in Westport, CT with my husband and six month old baby. Four weeks later I separated from my husband. I found myself alone with no husband, no job, no money, no friends in Connecticut, and no idea how to take care of a baby or raise child alone. I remember feeling the fear, fear of the unknown, fear of being alone, fear about finances, fear of never finding someone to love or someone who would love me.

ISAIAH: 41:10 :SO DO NOT FEAR FOR I AM WITH YOU, DO NOT BE DISMAYED, FOR I AM YOUR GOD. I WILL STRENGTHEN AND HELP YOU; I WILL UPHOLD YOU WITH MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND.”

PSALM 46:1 - “GOD IS OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, AN EVER PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE. THEREFORE WE WILL NOT FEAR, THOUGH THE EARTH GIVE WAY AND THE MOUNTAINS FALL INTO THE HEART OF THE SEA ...”
I notice it didn’t say “we will not fear, unless we’re going through a divorce”.

Recently I expected to spend a wonderful birthday celebration, but instead I spent the day in the hospital with chest pains & shortness of breath – praying through the day for myself and other patients. I went back and forth between calm and borderline fear and panic. I prayed there was nothing seriously wrong but forgot to pray for peace and calm. In the cat scan machine, I remembered “PS 34:4 “I SOUGHT THE LORD AND HE ANSWERED ME; HE DELIVERED ME FROM ALL MY FEARS.”

We can pray for deeper faith and for God to remove fear. First we have to be willing to pray about it, willing for Him to remove the fear. There is so much to be fearful about – we can sit home and be paralyzed by fear, or we can pray and leave the results in God’s hands.

I heard a sermon by Joyce Meyer about fear. It’s ok to feel the fear, but don’t let fear take hold of you. She said “do it afraid”. I love that - “DO IT AFRAID”.

What are you afraid of? Are you afraid of: being alone? Starting over, making same mistakes, choosing the wrong next person, not being a perfect parent, not having enough money, losing friends?

How does fear affect your life? Does it hold you back from doing things or going places?

How does fear affect your relationships? Fear of abandonment? Fear of rejection? Any fears you have overcome?

How can the words “do it afraid” impact your life?

Do you prefer to hold onto your fears or do you want to let go of them? When you are afraid, how can you remember to turn to God? What fears are you willing to ask for God’s help – to ask Him to remove? What fears are you unwilling to ask God for help or to remove?

Are you willing: to “do it afraid”? To ask God to remove your fears?