Fear of: Crisis
Sunday 11th November 2018
'Do not fear, for I am with you.' Isaiah 41:10 NIV
Whether it's illness, grief, a broken heart, financial ruin or something else, each of us would want to be spared from these difficult things of life. The popular phrase goes, 'we need the bad times to appreciate the good,' and that's true to a point, but most of us would prefer to only experience the good.
We can live in dread that something terrible is going to happen, or constantly avoid situations and people that could cause hurt. But that's no way for us to live. God doesn't promise that our lives will be only full of good things, but he does promise that he'll never leave us. There's nothing that could happen to us that we'd have to face on our own. 'So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand' (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).
We won't always understand why bad things happen to us, or why it seems like our lives are falling apart, but we can trust that God will use everything that happens to bring out good for those who love him (see Romans 8:28). And when we keep our eyes on God and keep trusting him, we'll make it out the other side of whatever circumstances we're facing. 'They won't be afraid of bad news; their hearts are steady because they trust the Lord' (Psalm 112:7 NCV).
So what now? Read Psalm 91. Write down any verses you feel particularly stand out to you.
Fear of: Failure
Monday 12th November 2018
'For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid.' 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
Whether it's about an upcoming event, a job interview, a relationship or something else, fear of failure is very common. It's the most common fear of all, and it keeps us from fulfilling any vision God may give us. But if we think about it honestly, the consequences of failing aren't usually as big as we imagine they will be. Our mistakes are usually survivable, and they are teaching tools that sharpen us and make us better people.
We all want to be perfect, but the fact is we all fail on different levels in our lives. If we allow the fear of failure to stop us from stepping out, we may miss what God has for us. It's important to remember that failing doesn't make us a failure. If we never take the risks, or never try again, then we prevent growth and learning.
The Bible says: 'For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline' (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV). We don't need to be timid; using the gifts God's given us, we can take risks based on faith, trusting him for success. We may still feel fear. Those thoughts of 'What if I fail?' may still come. But when they do, we can hand them over to God. He gives us peace when fear rises up. 'When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy' (Psalm 94:19 NIV).
So what now? Is there something you've been avoiding because you're afraid of failing? Take a step towards having a go at it.
Sunday 11th November 2018
'Do not fear, for I am with you.' Isaiah 41:10 NIV
Whether it's illness, grief, a broken heart, financial ruin or something else, each of us would want to be spared from these difficult things of life. The popular phrase goes, 'we need the bad times to appreciate the good,' and that's true to a point, but most of us would prefer to only experience the good.
We can live in dread that something terrible is going to happen, or constantly avoid situations and people that could cause hurt. But that's no way for us to live. God doesn't promise that our lives will be only full of good things, but he does promise that he'll never leave us. There's nothing that could happen to us that we'd have to face on our own. 'So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand' (Isaiah 41:10 NIV).
We won't always understand why bad things happen to us, or why it seems like our lives are falling apart, but we can trust that God will use everything that happens to bring out good for those who love him (see Romans 8:28). And when we keep our eyes on God and keep trusting him, we'll make it out the other side of whatever circumstances we're facing. 'They won't be afraid of bad news; their hearts are steady because they trust the Lord' (Psalm 112:7 NCV).
So what now? Read Psalm 91. Write down any verses you feel particularly stand out to you.
Fear of: Failure
Monday 12th November 2018
'For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid.' 2 Timothy 1:7 NIV
Whether it's about an upcoming event, a job interview, a relationship or something else, fear of failure is very common. It's the most common fear of all, and it keeps us from fulfilling any vision God may give us. But if we think about it honestly, the consequences of failing aren't usually as big as we imagine they will be. Our mistakes are usually survivable, and they are teaching tools that sharpen us and make us better people.
We all want to be perfect, but the fact is we all fail on different levels in our lives. If we allow the fear of failure to stop us from stepping out, we may miss what God has for us. It's important to remember that failing doesn't make us a failure. If we never take the risks, or never try again, then we prevent growth and learning.
The Bible says: 'For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline' (2 Timothy 1:7 NIV). We don't need to be timid; using the gifts God's given us, we can take risks based on faith, trusting him for success. We may still feel fear. Those thoughts of 'What if I fail?' may still come. But when they do, we can hand them over to God. He gives us peace when fear rises up. 'When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy' (Psalm 94:19 NIV).
So what now? Is there something you've been avoiding because you're afraid of failing? Take a step towards having a go at it.
