Fear Not!
At the time of writing this, we are waiting for the birth of our newest family member – our third daughter! I’m in this weird place of being so ready to have this baby, but also a little freaked out and unsure about all the changes to come. Our youngest is 9 years old, so it’s been a while since I’ve done this!
We recently took our girls on a trip, and I couldn’t help but be emotional the entire time thinking how our lives would soon look completely different. Don’t get me wrong- I’m not complaining- I’m well aware of the miracle that is growing inside of me. I’m beyond thankful to a gracious God who has given us the most incredible gift. BUT – I’ve still never been good with change. Or could it be that I’m actually fearing the next chapter in my life because it’s uncharted territory?
For so long I thought it would just be the four of us. I’ve loved that we always fit in a small booth or a 4-chair table at restaurants, our kids are old enough to stay home by themselves now, we can go on dates pretty much whenever we want and sleep in on Saturday mornings! Oh, how life is about to change! So, now I’m facing a letting go in a way of what once was and realizing that I must fully embrace what’s next for us. Isn’t that what faith is though? Trusting God even when you have no idea how it’s all going to work out?
Seasons in our life can be so strange, and fear can be a tricky thing to deal with. One minute you’re cruising along at a comfortable pace feeling pretty good about your life, and the next minute you’re headed face down on a roller coaster feeling your stomach jump into your throat! For you, this may look like a major job change, a negative diagnosis or maybe even a relational situation in your family. I don’t want to live my life so fearful of what’s next that I become paralyzed and can’t move forward. When I was a kid, I was led to believe that if I had any fear at all, then that meant I wasn’t in faith. This caused me to shrink back every time I felt fear moving into something new. Now I understand that true faith is going for it and trusting God even in the presence of fear! It’s truly a choice that I get up and make daily. If I truly trust HIM and know that He’s a good Father, then I know that He is with me in the change and will also work mightily in situations in my life that I have no idea how to figure out.
Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” If the Bible tells us not to fear, then it’s clear to me that this is actually possible!
Be encouraged today that God is in the change... He’s in the unknown...and He’ll be right there walking with you through it all.
READ:
Philippians 4:6-7 & John 14:27
PRAY:
God, today I choose faith. I choose to trust in YOU no matter what my current circumstances look like. I will not allow fear to paralyze me, but I will keep my eyes fixed on You. I thank you for working in my life and moving powerfully. In Jesus’ Name, amen!
