Fear

Fear is a liar.

Fear lies about whether you have what it takes.

It lies about whether you are able to stand up to injustice.

Fear lies about whether you can survive your current circumstances or not.

Fear is also a destroyer.

Because not only does fear cause doubt, confusion, and hesitation; fear also destroys life.

It destroys the pursuit of dreams. It destroys our ability to be present. It destroys our ability to trust in the goodness of God, where life is ultimately found.

Fear is a real pain in the butt.

And yet, in scripture, God says some version of “fear not” 365 times, one for every day of the year.

So, the question is: What do we do with fear?

1.     Write down and read truth statements (affirmations) every day.

For years, sometimes more consistently than others, I’ll read a series of truth statements/affirmation every single morning. Statements like:

• I am a child of God.

• I have nothing to fear.

• God is a good God who wants the best for me.

What I love about affirmations is that you read and internalize those every single day, even when you don’t feel like it.

2.     Ask someone to tell you what’s true.

A few years ago, I was living in constant fear that my “friends” were somehow conspiring against me. Ok, that sounds a little dramatic. But what I mean is that I felt like my friends were somehow abandoning me, or were going to abandon me. I don’t know why, but it was a fear I was harboring. Finally, and it took longer than it should have, we had a real conversation about it. And I literally said, “This is what I’m afraid is happening. Will you tell me if it’s true?” And they were able to speak truth into my life. Immediately, in the presence of truth, the fear went away and has never returned.

3.     Turn to scripture.

Fear will always be a part of our lives, but when I read scripture, I see how others lived in the presence of fear. The example of Paul in prison, Peter on the water, David facing Goliath; these stories inspire me to buckle down and face fear, despite how overwhelming it can feel.

4.     Ask God to carry it for you.

Finally, the greatest anecdote to fear is to get real with God and tell him what you’re afraid of. Then, in the face of fear, we ask God to carry it for us, and He will. Hebrews 13:5-6 says, “For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”

Today, you might be feeling fear. Heck, if you’re human, you probably are. And rightfully so. I wouldn’t ever want you to feel ashamed about your fear. However, you are capable of overcoming fear and experiencing life despite the fears you face.

Write down and read daily truth affirmations.

Ask someone to tell you what’s true.

Turn to scripture.

Ask God to carry it for you.

Then, tell fear you can’t lie to me and you’re not gonna destroy me.
With God’s help, you can win.