Fear

“So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?””

Hebrews 13:6 NKJV

This is such a wonderful verse. It starts with a bold proclamation of the truth: The LORD is my helper. Then it moves to the appropriate reaction: I will not fear. But, it doesn't stop there. For the truth and the reaction, it continues to the dismissal of worries: What can man do to me?

LORD, often times I let fear hold me back. In many regards, it is fear that has kept me from becoming the godly woman I long to be.

I suffer from fear of how people would react. Fear of whether people would still love me. Fear of being rejected by my family. In the world today, these fears seem justified.

But only if I focus on the world. YOU are my helper. I should not fear. How weak is my faith that I can only say "should" and not "will"?

LORD, help me to trust you even more than I do. Help me to accept your help. Help me to not fear and walk on this path set before me.

You, O Christ, are me beloved. You are mine and I am yours.

Confidence

Some days you just want to stay in your pajamas all day long. Maybe you're not feeling well. Or maybe you're in something more seductive and your husband has the day off.  But most days, you must get up and face the world. What do you wear? The excellent wife clothes herself with strength and honor. She is ready to face the day. She knows where her strength comes from. Her strength comes from the Lord. She is confident as she faces the day because she knows that her Lord has plans for her today. The world may taunt her and try and sow fear in her heart, but her heart belongs to the Lord.

Running away from snakes

As I continue through Exodus, a couple things about chapter 4 caught my attention. For now, I want to focus on the first thing. The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” The Lord said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, and Moses ran from it. (Exodus 4:2-3 NET). God has called Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. Moses wants a sign so that the people will believe him. God gives him a sign. Moses responds and then runs away. God surely had gotten Moses' attention by turning the staff into a snake. Wasn't Moses right to run away in fear? Aren't snakes scary? But Moses was running from the direct result of what God him to do. Should he really have run away? Or should his faith told him to stay?

Are you working on a "new you" in this new year? Has God laid on your heart changes He wants you to make in your life? Are you seeing results already? Do they make you afraid? If God has called you to make changes and you are seeing the results of those changes, fear not! God knows what He wants to do with your life. It is good. You can trust Him. Fear not! Your eyes saw me when I was inside the womb. All the days ordained for me were recorded in your scroll before one of them came into existence. (Psalm 139:16 NET)

I am reading through (and blogging as led) Exodus following the Good Morning Girls.