For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Romans 10:17 King James Version (KJV)
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
FEAR ~
We cannot have faith and fear at the same time. We must choose one to live by in life. There will be times that we get scared and feel fear in our lives. I have found that what we do with our feelings matter. My thoughts in one day can run different directions. I must stop myself and bring my thoughts under control.
Philippians 4:6-7 King James Version (KJV)
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
I KNOW THIS ~ God cares
God hears your heart and knows what is best. He has given us choices and desires within our heart. Fear is not one of them. God has come to give us life.
John 10:10 King James Version (KJV)
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
CALL UPON THE NAME OF JESUS ~
When in doubt, go to the Lord
When in doubt, step into faith
When in doubt, stir up hope
When in doubt, never quit believing in Jesus
There are times in my life when things just seem so hard. Doubt can enter into my mind and then I quickly remind myself of the power of God. Faith and fear can not go hand in hand. I must choose one and that choice is faith. I recognize in hard times that the devil has a job too. The enemy of my soul is not a friend and wants to stop me. Just like he wants to stop you, but there is not stopping you. Purpose you mind to success and press forward.
FAITH ~
I can have all the faith in the world, but the answer might not come out the way I want it too. Determination becomes a key factor in my mind. I will choose to trust God through it all. I want to share a personal example. I was praying for God to answer a prayer request a certain way. I couldn't give up believing in a miracle. But the miracle did not happen and I was forced to face a situation. I have found in life that God knows best and I must trust him. I had to stop asking God why. The why put a pain in the middle of my stomach and tears to my eyes. God really, I don't see why you can't do this. Then I heard this small voice inside my brain that said, "lean not to your own understanding". As tears continued to come down my face, I knew I had to just trust God in this answer.
I met a young mom who was faced with a very sick child. Her child went to Heaven at the age of 2. The questions of why began to overpower her mind. She had to make a decision to stop asking the why and start breathing again. The pain of it all is just too much. She began to turn her thoughts over to God and asking for her. Her voice was not silent and she knew she couldn't do this alone. I recently met her and so proud of her. Through the pain of it all, she keeps pressing forward. As her daughter rest in Heaven, the mother searches for answers and tries hard everyday to find peace of it. I am proud of her and I can't image her pain or loss. I know that God connects lives for a purpose and I'm glad God connects our lives.
I don't have all the answers and I know this to be true: God does give and God does take away. He says there is a season for all things. Leaning to trust God through it all, is so very important! Life isn't always easy and life isn't always hard. It is mixed emotions, feelings and answers. My choices affect us and some choices were never ours. The peace of God can remain real in our lives and we can stay determined to press toward God. No way do I want to live a life of fear and doubt. I want to live in freedom of mind and make a difference in someone else's life. I hope you do too!
My prayers continue for you, your family and friends. Thank you for taking the time to read this and planting hope in your life. We can water it and watch it grow into something beautiful in our lives. A trust beyond a human understanding in God and resting in his will for each of us.
~ Sparkie