For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)
Fear is a dream killer. Fear makes me think of all the negative outcomes that could happen if I do something out of my comfort zone: Somebody might not like it. I don’t know how to do it. People will talk about me. Or . . . it might not work.
I weary myself listening to the naysaying in my head and talk myself out of trying to do anything new. Or if I start a project, fear keeps me from finishing it. Eventually I allow my dreams to be killed by fear. Lately as I have been studying the Scriptures, spending time with Jesus, and listening to my pastor’s sermons, I am giving faith a try. I am fighting fear with faith in Jesus. Instead of focusing on the negative and unknown, I am trying to train my mind to simply trust Jesus. Last school year I took a faith step by asking to chair a school program. Putting the program together was not a smooth project. In my mind, all I could see was failure.
Nevertheless, I stayed committed because I didn’t want to give up. Ultimately the program was a success, and the students did an amazing job.
Faith in Jesus Christ will give us power over fear. In Matthew 8:23–26, Jesus was asleep on the boat when the wind and the waves rocked the boat and frightened the disciples. They cried out to Jesus to save them, and He asked them why they feared, telling them they had little faith. Then He calmed the wind and waves. He can do the same for us. Jesus is right here with us, ready to calm our fears when we place our faith in Him.
FAITH STEP: Hebrews 12:2 (KJV) states that Jesus is “the author and finisher of our faith.” If you have something on your heart you want to try, step out in faith, trust Jesus, and kill the fear.
