Fear Is a Liar

We have all dealt with fear. It's simply a part of life, sometimes it's monthly or daily, but then there are times where it feels like we are in fear for days on end. Let me tell you though, you don't have to deal with that kind of fear.

There have been many times in my life where fear has won. It’s started battles I didn’t want to fight. It has made me not do things I wanted to do. I’ve been fearful of people, relationships, places, and even simple things to do. One of my biggest fears has always been speaking in front of people. I’m still not comfortable with it and even typing this is completely out of my comfort zone, but I believe that someone needs to hear it.

I have been held in situations that I needed to get out of for fear that I would be judged, hated, or heck even loved. I’ve messed up and made more mistakes than the average Billy Bob Joe, but I am still fully loved. Wow, even for me that was hard to type. Tauren Wells has a song called Known. The first time I heard that song, I was SHOOK. Part of the lyrics say “I’m fully known and loved by You. You won’t let me go, no matter what I do.” Like what?!? NOBODY can fully know me and still love me, I am messed up. I’ve done things I shouldn’t have done. I’ve been places I shouldn’t have been. I’ve said things I shouldn’t have said. Heck, I’ve even thought things I shouldn’t have thought, but it’s true. We are fully known AND fully loved. That’s still such a big concept for me and I still haven’t fully grasped it.

Fear told me when I messed up and got pregnant before getting married, that I was worthless. That I was condemned. That I would be hated. Fear led me into panic attacks worrying about what each person would say, or would do when they found out. Would my mom kick me out? Would my dad yell at me? Would my sisters disown me? Would my pastor condemn me? Would my best friend decide I wasn't worthy enough of best friend status? When I FINALLY worked up the courage to tell each person that I knew, they each gave me love, they each gave me grace. They were even excited to welcome a tiny human into the world. My family and friends were a WONDERFUL example of the love and grace that only comes from God. Did my family or friends want me to have a baby outside of wedlock? HECK NO, but they still showed the love and grace that they knew I needed. Did I deserve any of it? HECK NO, I disobeyed each of them, we had all talked about premarital sex and how it wasn't how I should live my life, but there I was pregnant out of wedlock with all the love and grace from others.

After realizing that I was extremely loved by the people around me, I was able to realize how much fear held me back. I could have celebrated a new baby with so many people longer than I did, but I was scared of what may come from them. That small example shows how God's perfect love cast out fear. We don't need to be afraid, when we have God on our side. If you are living in a state of fear, than you haven't let God in. You haven't let Him come in and wreck your life. (I know wreck is typically a bad term, but He comes in and changes it all, and it's wonderful.) You have been chosen, and you have been called. You are wondeful, and you are set apart.

DO NOT LET FEAR RUN YOUR LIFE!!

How can someone know all of these things that I have done and still love me so much?

Grace. Grace and omnipotent love. It has NOTHING to do with what I have done, but everything to do with what He is. Grace is a whole conversaiton all in itself, so all you need to know for now is that it is enough.You can't do anything to take yourself out of God's grace and He will always love you.

To sum fear up with a little poem I wrote:

Fear told me yes

When I should’ve said no.

Fear told me to stay

When I needed to go.

Fear tried to hold me back

And wouldn’t let me be.

Fear tried to make me blind

So that I could not see.

A few verses to read in conjunction with this.

1 John 4:18

2 Timothy 1:7

Isaiah 43:1

Joshua 1:9