Gripped by fear

Have you ever been so afraid of something that you don't feel like you can move forward or backward? Your life comes to a stand still. You know you can't go back, however the fear of moving forward is just as difficult to deal with. Life can bring us all types of fears, dying, loving, living, following Christ like we know we should. I have experienced fear in a few of these ways and then a scripture was brought to my mind, as a matter of fact it was so gripping that I wrote it down and stuck it to my mirror. I read it each morning.

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 Our fear is our own, it is not produced by God it's produced by Satan. If he can get us to fear it will lead to doubt. Maybe I can't do this or I don't deserve that. Maybe I don't have the abilities to accomplish what I want to accomplish. FEAR is of SATAN! We must learn to turn that fear into faith in Christ.

Recently I had a conversation with someone regarding something I just realized I was a little fearful of.....moving on in my personal life. With all that I've been through the thought of losing one more person or something not working out, made me fear even trying. I took it to prayer and asked the person to pray for me about it too. The very next day I didn't fear it anymore, I decided God's will, will be done whether I fear something or not and He doesn't want me to be fearful. So leaving it in His hands and trusting Him is always the best way to defeat satan and fear.....turn to your faith!!

I'll leave you with a funny story about my fear. I desperately fear mice, that's right I said it, mice....I know they are more afraid of me than I am of them. Whatever! I despise them and I don't want to be around them ever!!! A couple of years ago while living with my mother I was in her basement doing laundry. My aunt who also lived in the house came to the middle of the stairs and so politely and calmly informed me that there was a mouse on a "humane sticky trap" under the stairs. Needless to say, I froze, literally. I could not move, I tried and I couldn't move. I was trapped had no place to go and I just knew that mouse was going to get off that trap and run right up my leg. What to do now? So my aunt, who by this time realized it was maybe not such a good idea to inform me of the situation once again in her calm voice told me to jump the bottom stair to get back to the first floor. Logically this made sense, the fear in me said no way that would mean I have to jump over the live mouse! On the count of three, her count, I ran jumped a couple steps and proceeded to plow my aunt down on the stairs trying to get away from the mouse. I made it to safety and within a hour the mouse had pried its way off the sticky trap and hid somewhere in the house.....my fear rose until it was caught!

Now before you judge me think about your own fears, I agree being afraid of a little mouse is a little silly. Is it any more silly than being afraid of a spider, snake, rat or getting a new job or serving Christ? It's still a fear and exactly what God tells us not to do. In our fear we are saying Lord I don't trust you to take care of me and that's what He wants us to do, Trust Him!