Fear and Worry
What you love most, you also fear losing the most. And what ever threatens what you love most controls you.
Ask yourself that question and think on it. What does your fear show that You love the most? (List them all)
What threats to those things listed above control you? How does it control your actions, reactions, and decisions?
In essence, The point ultimately being that you will will build your life and construct your identity around whatever driving fears you have.
I never really knew how much fear controlled me? How not being in control of those things led to behaviors that I tried to curtail. Fear and worry are a stronghold. We can’t just throw scripture at behaviors as if obeying the law will bring change. Our freedom is found by taking what Christ has done and uprooting what is at the core.
“Worry is the result of trying to carry a burden that never belonged on our shoulders.” -The Christian Atheist
In contrast, “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Proverbs 9:10
Begin with a right view of God. We know he tells us to not worry, to cast our cares, to not be anxious but to pray about everything. Why is that so? Why does He say that?
Because “perfect love casts out ALL fear”…(1 John 4:7-21)
I didn’t understand that until I read these verses:
“Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 ESV
“Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39
Be fully persuaded of His love for us. Whatever worry we have His love for us will drive out. Worry is a control issue within us. Philippians 4:6-8 gives us the outline to shift our thinking from fear based to faith based thinking.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Our faith can not be based on our expectations nor our faith in the outcome itself. Our faith has to be in the love God has for us and His promises found in His Word.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28
Judd Shurley 