I remember one time in my life when I was afraid to dive off the diving board at the pool. I debated for a long time if I should. I would walk over to it, walk around it, and decide not to. I grasped the rail, then changed my mind. I climbed a step or two, then backed down. Finally, I climbed to the top. I stepped onto the board. I froze. I couldn’t do it. I climbed back down, defeated by fear.
Fear is debilitating. It can cause us to freeze up, lash out, or run. Proverbs 29:25 calls it a snare. We can get “snared” by fear and need help getting out.
Fear. What causes fear? Lack of faith. We don’t trust in something to help us. Fear is often identified as “False Evidence Appearing Real.” We believe in something false, instead of focusing on the truth. I saw that the diving board was high and that it was a long drop to the water. The false evidence for me was that what I saw—the height and the long drop—made the board unsafe, so I didn’t trust it. The truth was that many people were diving safely without fear because they trusted that it wasn’t too high. They believed in the truth—that it was safe—and were able to dive off it.
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. ~ 2 Timothy 1:7
Much of fear is a lack of trust in God’s love and provision. Instead of fear, God gives us power, love, and a sound mind.
Power. If we have God’s spirit, we have His power. We have the power to overcome fear. We have the power to trust God.
Love. We also have the ability to love. If we love others we don’t fear them. We don’t fear hurt feelings because we love them as Christ loves them. When we are loved by others we are strengthened and supported and less afraid. There’s comfort in sharing our fears with others and hearing “I’m praying for you.” There’s less fear because it renews our faith that God is with us.
Sound Mind. In addition, God gives us a sound mind. A sound mind helps us understand that there is no need to fear. We use our minds to realize the situation isn’t what it seems. A sound mind will show us the false evidence and reveal the truth. It may seem scary, but a sound mind will tell us that the Lord is with us.
“Be fearless in the pursuit of your dreams.”~ Avijeet Das
Dreams. God has not given us a spirit of fear. We don’t need to be afraid of anything, including the pursuit of our dreams. If I look at my dreams like I look at that diving board, I’ll see that they are too lofty. What I “dream” is to publish several novels that present Bible stories so that people will want to read the Bible, several prayer journals that draw people closer to the Lord, and other works that are helpful and bring people closer to Jesus. I also dream that someday I will be a speaker, sharing what God has laid on my heart in a way that strengthens and supports others. The false evidence I see is that it’s tough to succeed in a world where there are countless authors and speakers and I am no one special. I see that my work is nothing special and no one will want it. But that’s not the truth. The truth is, God has made me and my work special and He will use it the way He wants, which means anything is possible.
F.E.A.R. Another use of the acronym is "Forget Everything And Run or Face Everything And Rise." What are your dreams? Do they seem too lofty? They aren’t! Are you afraid to pursue them? Don’t believe the false evidence! Be fearless! Don't forget everything and run, face it and rise.
God has given you power, love, and a sound mind. Use that to face your fears with the truth that the Lord is there to help you achieve even the highest dreams and goals.
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