Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I
do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and
do not be afraid. John 14:27, (NIV)
When destructive
fear is entrenched in our lives, we must remember that God is greater than all
our fears. He desires to empower us to dismantle and demolish fear's
strongholds in our lives.
Fear must be
uprooted and the truth implanted so that we are freed not merely to survive but
to thrive in a dangerous world. John 8:32 "and you will know the truth, and the truth will make
you free."
Some steps to overcoming crippling fears are:
·
Face Your Fears. Don't run from your fears. Standing
up to them and facing them head-on is half the battle. II Corinthians 10:3-5 says For though we walk in the flesh, we do not
war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the
flesh, but divinely powerful for the against
the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience
of Christ,)
·
Feel your fears. Don't try to silence them by getting
busy in distracting activities. Give
yourself permission to feel the trembling, the anguish, and the terror. By doing so, you will be able to begin
identifying your fears and what's underneath them.
Putting descriptive
words to both the feelings and beliefs underlying your fears will equip you to
talk more honestly and openly about your fears with someone who cares, whether
a professional or a friend. Keeping a
journal will help you focus your thoughts as you face your fears. Once your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs are
written out in front of you, it will allow you to be more objective with what
is going on inside.
David was a man who
honestly wrestled with his fears. Psalm 55:4-8 - My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death
assail me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said,
"Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest-I
would flee far away and stay in the desert; I would hurry to my place of
shelter, far from the tempest and storm."
When you journal,
it is helpful to ask yourself questions that make you write out detailed
answers. Don't ask questions that can be answered with one word. Here are some
questions to get you started.
·
What am I afraid of right now?
·
What am I trying to avoid facing?
·
If I wasn’t afraid right now, what
would I do differently?
·
What would have to change for me not
to be afraid?
·
What am I afraid will happen in this
situation?
·
What do I fear the other person will
think of me?
·
What am I afraid will happen if my
anxious thoughts are true? What’s the worst that could happen? And if that
happens, then what? And if that happens, then what?
As you follow this
process of honestly facing your fears, you will be better prepared to examine
your findings and learn from your fears instead of running from them.
Scripture to claim:
May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV
