When we worship Fear, we put the guardianship of our lives back in our hands and, thus, out of the hands of God.
If we have made God the guardian of our lives through our faith in Jesus, we trust him for any and every outcome, regardless of how that outcome suits us.
Somehow, I had defected.
I had begun to tolerate the videos that played out in my mind with every tragic outcome:
What if...?Not only was I annoying myself with this waste of energy, I was worshiping Fear. I was letting it rule my heart.
A wrong turn requires confession. It had put me in a place of retreat, of shrinking back, and nowhere in his Word does God ask us to shrink back. He says, in fact, to be bold and put things in his hands (Psalm 138):
Thank you. Everything in me says "Thank you!"...The moment I called out, you stepped in; you made my life large with strength.When we continually give thanks, we are calling out to God. Giving thanks is the best use of our mind's energy. I suspect there is nothing more annoying to the enemy of God than our crediting him (God) with our every breath and accomplishment.
Giving thanks is the replacement tool to watching fear videos play out in our minds.
Last night, two-year-old Anna did not want to stop our prayers of giving thanks. She was literally squealing with delight, jumping up and down, saying thank you for everything she could think of.
How can fear live in that? And how delighted God must have been. That was the sweetest calling out to God I can imagine.
Lord, please forgive my wrong turn. I have been retreating, shrinking back, taking back guardianship of my life. It is yours once again. Let my practice of fear be, in your words to Abraham as he gave you Isaac, fearlessly fearing God.
Tomorrow: Giving our children to God.
Comments are welcome at feedyourstrength@gmail.com.
