Living by Faith

Is fear literally choking the life out of you? Is fear controlling your ability to live a normal life, to grow and flourish like God intended? If you’re like me, I’ve had to admit this truth many times. When fear has its grasp on me, I can’t rest. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. At least that’s how it feels. I’m overwhelmed in my mind with ‘what ifs’ and ‘hold ons’ and ‘I quit.’ But those fears, shut-downs, and give-ups are not really what’s happening in the real world outside of my mind. My mind is simply in overdrive, not functioning to its potential, only functioning in the unlikely and dreaded ‘what ifs.’

“What if I trip or even fall?’

 “What if I pass out and no one helps me?”

“What if they don’t like me?”

“What if I fail?”

 “What if?”

Without even realizing it, fear can completely control our minds. I imagine most of us don’t even realize that fear is an emotion, despite our feeling that it is far more than just a feeling.  According to Dictionary.com, fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined.

Fear can attack by approaching the unknown. Maybe a medical diagnosis, a divorce, a move, or even a new job. Fear is a lack of faith or belief in getting through it or the unfamiliar that is to come, or even someone not following through with a promise. Perhaps it’s affected your faith in God. Maybe you feel He’s failed you because He didn’t give you what you felt you needed, and you panicked.

If you’re like me, I’ve feared so many bad situations and it never even happened. Have you? And yet at times I still struggle with fear that causes me to panic to a point of breaking out in a cold sweat. My heart pounds and I feel like I’m going to die. There have been times it has literally stopped me from taking the next step, thinking I would fail. Ironically, as a musician, I’ve felt this way hundreds of times before going on stage to perform. And yet, God still calls me to do it. He’s the One that keeps placing into my fragile heart this strong love for music and sharing the love of Jesus. So how do we take the first step to conquering fear?

First, we need to understand where fear derives from in order to understand it.

Ourselves. I’ve often wondered if I’m just so weak that I can’t shake this feeling of overwhelm. Then I’m reminded of all the trauma and loss I’ve experienced in my life. Strength is one word given to me by others when they’ve described me. So why do I still wrestle with fear? Honestly, even past trauma can trigger feelings of fear and failure. If these past experiences still cause a reaction when confronted with a similar traumatic situation, it can rise to the top like the eruption of a volcano.

The enemy. He wants us to feel intimidated and afraid. He knows it weakens us. He wants us to fear everything. Everything, except God, that is. Satan wants us to think he is in control, even though he knows he’s not. He is the master manipulator and if we allow it, he’ll test us until we just want to give up.

One thing we do know is that God does not give us a spirit of fear. As it says in 2 Timothy 1:7, For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. No matter the volume of the intimidation, remember that it doesn’t come from the Lord.

So how do we face fear? Do we tackle it straight on or do we sneak around the back and manipulate our way around it? I think if we confront it, it can have a lasting effect. But if we try to manipulate it, it will likely only be a temporary solution.

We can learn several lessons from Jesus’s disciples. When they followed Jesus, they weren’t afraid of the crowds that followed. They also weren’t afraid of the leaders that tried to entrap Jesus. And they weren’t afraid of what they were going to eat or where they were going to stay. Once they knew Jesus, they knew He would provide everything they needed.

So, we’ve learned how to face fear. But how do we conquer or overcome fear? As it says above in 2 Timothy, in strengthening our faith by:

Leaning on the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

Allowing others to help us in love.

Learning self-discipline from Jesus and from others in the Bible.

As Jesus told his disciples and as we can apply it today, do not fear. Not a suggestion, but an instruction, a directive. We can follow His example when He said in James 4:7, Resist the devil and he will flee.  We can look to Jesus as our escape, harbor, our safe place. His presence is the place we can feel safe. I’ve had people tell me that after having lived a life in circumstances that fear and intimidation was prominent, church is their safe place. May we as the church take His presence with us no matter what building we’re in.

We need to make a stand, a firm decision to not allow fear to overtake our lives. Determination is described as the quality of being resolute or a fixed purpose. Being bold with intention is a sure winner to beat fear, and overcoming fear is the first step to living a life of freedom.

-Sherri Cullison