Have you ever just had it up to here with fear? Wish you could find the sweet spot of courageous living and stay there?
It busts open the heart walls with no invite and pounces on every rational thought. Catching us off guard before we ever have a chance to build our defense. Like a bully, it puffs its chest and blusters of strength and power greater than our own. And it threatens to steal every ounce of dignity we possess…because it can.
I don’t know about you, but I’m over it! I’m tired of being held hostage by something that really has no power to demand the final word over my day or over my life or my dreams. I’m tired of the same bullying lies tormenting my heart~
You don’t have what it takes.
You’re too ordinary.
It’s too hard, not for you.
It will never work.
What if you fail?
My list goes on and on. I know yours does too, because fear is no respecter of persons.
We each have vulnerable corners of our heart, and fear wastes no time grabbing hold and wringing every ounce of courage from our will. Leaving us bare and exposed to believe we are utterly powerless.
[bctt tweet=”When we give ear to fear, we give up our choice and our voice. ” username=”crystaltwaddell”]
Seriously, I am over it. Because I know better. I’ve been on the receiving end of such extraordinary grace, that all the counting alone should bolster courage.
So what do we do? How do we gain a foothold on fear the instant it strikes?
It starts by using our voice. And if we’re not used to speaking up to a bully, it’s not always an easy thing to learn. Speaking with authority takes practice.
Call fear by its name. We don’t have to shudder or back into a corner. Calling out and naming our fear bully transfers power back to us. Calling out any bully is the beginning of exchanging faintheartedness for lionheartedness. When we call it out in the authority of “whose we are,” fear has no choice but to take a step back and make way for courageous.
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
Consider the source. Similar to conflict, where the problem is usually not the problem, our initial fear is usually not the real fear. Often it is the symptom. And I’ve found using a simple “teambuilding” technique called the 5 Whys helps me drill down and uncover the root source. Many times the source leads back to our own identify or lack thereof.
I’m not enough, I’m invisible, I don’t matter…recognize any of these?
[bctt tweet=”When fear leads us to question our identity, we must run to the heart of the One who gives us our identity.” username=”crystaltwaddell”]
The one who sees us as honored and precious and desires courageous. The one who promises to be our confidence and the strength of our heart. And the one who calls us His masterpiece as crowns us with the splendor of a royalty that far exceeds any earthly king.
Clarify the course. Once we know the source of our fear, we are much better equipped to move forward with a clarifying course of action. Sometimes clarifying means breaking things into smaller, more manageable pieces. Conquering each piece helps us realize courageous is not as difficult as it seems when we take incremental steps forward.
Celebrate the strides. Every small step away from fear is a large stride toward courage. Because hindsight is such a great opportunity to correct the future, these strides help to lay a foundation of faith for the next moment fear tries to bully. Even small steps deserve large celebrations. The kind that silence doubt and overpower the lies of fear. These are the kind that help produce mountain moving faith.
So, the next time you’ve had it up to hear with fear, and you’re looking for the sweet spot of courageous living…
Start by using your voice~
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Before you leave…
Be sure to visit our Featured Fresh Find – Kylie Howell as she shares encouragement for how to deal with life when it just doesn’t seem fair. She challenges us to intentionally turn away from doubt, complaining and pouting over the blessings we don’t have and replace these with valiant faith. The kind that declares God’s goodness and plans for our life even when we see others receiving the very blessing we felt should be our own. And if we find ourselves plagued by the endless “What ifs”…well, Kylie covers that too! You’ll be refreshed by her straight talk and practical insight as she calls us to more.
Won’t you please visit Kylie’s and leave her some Fresh Market Friday encouragement…because we all need a little encouragement!
If you’re new to Fresh Market Friday, you can find more about the community here.
[bctt tweet=”Sharing our passionate pursuits on #FreshMarketFriday! Come join the #linkup” username=”crystaltwaddell”]
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