Fear makes us irrational. Fear is crippling, Fear chokes and sets you up for failure. We feel stuck. The bible says in 1 John 4: 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. It is possible that we are punishing and tormenting ourselves? There is an internal battle that we may not be aware of until it manifests itself in ugly or unproductive ways. We develop negative coping mechanisms that hurts others and ourselves. It will destroy our potential and outlook. Is it too late to start moving in the right direction? What is on the other side of fear? We may never know unless we take the first step through the fear. What if we dared to take the first step? Forgive first? Say a kind word first? Love first? What is stopping us? We sometimes direct our own life movie in our head and we make up our own scenes. Are our perceptions correct? Can we step back and understand that our struggle is not again flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Heb 13:6 The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, What shall man do to me? In my teenage years, I had many fears and insecurities. I was worried sick about so many situations. I was the only girl in the family with three brothers. I learned to fight and hold my own. I was only focused on the negative. I was afraid of what others thought about me. I was fearful of being hurt or taken advantage of. I lashed out so much and then I felt guilty, depressed and a shame on how I acted. What a vicious circle. I did not know how to forgive myself and accept God’s unconditional love for me. Once I understood true grace and that I only had to fully surrender to Him I found freedom. God gives us tools for transformation. He wants to break our chains, habits and coping mechanisms we just have to let him have his way. Are we ready to embrace and accept his Love which drives out fear?