Hey friends, how are you today? Yes… you… how are you today? How was your weekend? It’s a beautiful day in my neck of the woods.  Although clouds have completely blanketed the skies, with not even a hint of blue in sight, the day isn’t as dark, dreary, dismal, dull and depressing as other days.  There isn’t any form of precipitation in the forecast despite the clouds which is always good.  Despite the bleak, cloudy, dismal appearance of the day because we trust in the Creator we can experience, beauty, charm, and delight in today.  How are you today?

CHANGES CAN PRECEDE FEAR

Have I told you before I don’t like change? I understand now why I am so opposed to changes, especially those I haven’t sanctioned; it’s because I lack courage.  I chose to say ‘lack courage’ because saying I am fearful sounds ‘fearful’ doesn’t it? At least, I think so.  I lack courage sounds like I can do something it.  Saying fearful feels like I’ve given up.  (It makes sense in my head.) 

FEAR LACKS COURAGE

I am learning to surrender each day into our Lord’s keeping but sometimes this is easier said than done. Do you know it takes courage to trust God? I know it’s sounds crazy, but for most of us, it’s true. To trust the Lord completely through thick and thin, through the beautiful and through the ugly, takes courage, my friends.  Trust in the Lord demands my complete and full surrender to Him.  

FEAR LIMITS OUR CHOICES

Most of us pick and choose what we will place into our Lord’s keeping if we are honest.  If you’re like me, we don’t even realize we’ve withheld things from the Lord until we’re put to the test.   The words, ‘I trust You, Lord’ comes easily to the lips and then BAM! We wave our white flags because the Lord has allowed us to see that we don’t Him trust as we think we do.  

 UNPREPAREDNESS GIVES FEAR THE UPPER HAND

It’s usually in the disasters we realize this unfortunately. I guess that’s the purpose of the trials. They are allowed to strengthen our faith, to deepen our understanding, to cultivate our growth, to muster our courage, preparing us for the next trial.  These trials teach us to love unconditionally, to show grace, to extend mercy, to forgive easier.  The knowledge is there, but at times the courage is not.  

Why does it take courage to trust our Creator? Could it be because we’ve been betrayed by others? Could it be because we ourselves have been the betrayer? Perhaps it’s the idea of handing another person control? Perhaps it’s the consequence of the two.  Perhaps it is also the lack of knowledge of our God.  Although I would hesitate to accept that for most of us here.  

FEAR CAUSES US TO LOSE SIGHT OF OUR GOD

Our knowledge of the character of our God is immense. We know that we are loved unconditionally, unwaveringly, unfailingly. We know that through every sunshine and through every blizzard, we can count on His ever-faithful presence.  We know that because of His great love for us, He desires the very best for us.  We know that even in spite of us, He works out life to best benefit us in every way.  We know He extends a daily measure of grace and mercy.  We know He forgives completely. We know that even when we are faithless in our service, in our behavior, in our thoughts, He remains always faithful to Himself and to us, His people. We know all that, yet we struggle to trust through our surrender.

FEAR IS CRIPPLING

Personally, I think it’s because its my desire for only the ‘good’ but the ‘bad’ I allow to cripple my faith, which then leads to fear.  And the fear further paralyzes what’s left of my faith, and I huddle in my shell, until I deem it safe to emerge. Although I’ve been told to expect the trials, I’ve been warned of its inevitability, yet with its unpredictable entry, I act like I was never told to be prepared.  The only thing I see now are the waves, measuring 150ft, coming straight for me and I miss the One Who commanded the wave in the first place.  

FEAR IS SELFISH.  

As a young girl, I wondered at the correlation between fear and love.  I see it now… love is outward, fear on the other hand is inward.  Fear benefits no one, not even me and it makes loving others difficult if not impossible.  Fear causes me to hide, love allows me to flourish. Fear paralyzes but love acts.  Fear expects the worst, love sees the best.  Fear sees only the betrayal and makes trust impossible. Love believes that my Creator God is worthy of my trust even though my eyes claim differently. Fear makes no attempt to try and believes failure is inevitable. Loves sees the possibilities and allows the wisdom of others to herald success.  Fear is stagnant, love nurtures growth.  

SURRENDER IS SPITE OF FEAR

Our instinct when trials come maybe to run and hide, but in spite of this instinct we can choose to stand.  we can choose to believe the Word of God and trust in His goodness and His greatness.  We can choose to trust Him, not ourselves.  We can choose to believe that His Word will accomplish what it sets out to do.  

We’ve lived through one month in the new year, how are you doing? 

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