Fear is debilitating. It takes us captive and puts us in a self-enforced headlock. (I dare a contortionist to try that). When we have fear or anxiety, its because we put our trust in another person. And to them, we entrust our entire happiness, all the good things we could receive, and all our thoughts. Maybe we're sure that we can't make things right for ourselves. And that is right thinking.
Am I telling you to go, trust other people with your happiness and consequently make ourselves miserable? No, that makes them into a god. When we are afraid, we can know that we have made an idol - whether we're afraid of or for a person, a thing, success, ect. Fear is idolatry. Fear says, "I need ___ to give happiness to me. And I'm worried that it won't happen." Once again, this is right thinking. The idols in our life will fail.
Remember the 150 times in the Bible that God says, "Fear not,"? He doesn't stop there - He says, "Fear not because I am with you." We have to be afraid of the things put our trust in because our human frailty knows that we cannot be strong without God. We do not have to be afraid of trusting our God because He will gives us strength through His presence. Isaiah 41:10 says, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Because He is with us, we don't have to be afraid! We can be strong! He promises to be our Savior, to give us grace sufficient for our weaknesses, to walk with us through the valley of the shadow of death, to be with us to the very end of the age, and to raise us into everlasting life. He is the ultimate God. He is strong enough to win over all our fears.
I'm Not For Me
