"No" to Fear, "Yes!" to Trust

Hello there! Makes me smile to think of you taking time to read this post!  Blessings to you as you do!

Fear.  God has been laying it on my heart to get rid of the negative aspect of it in my life!  There is a good fear, but for this post I'm talking the bad kind! ;)  The kind that satan loves to wield as a distraction tactic because he knows how POWERFUL trusting God in every area of life is!!!  He fears someone who doesn't fear.   Pretty crazy right? But SO very true!  I think it's so easy to undermine the seriousness of fear and it's harm to the person that keeps it in their life!!!  I love first of all how Scripture (God's Word) encourages us to not fear, but to trust and second I'm also grateful for how Max Lucado writes about fear.  Keep reading for some encouragement for your heart! ;)

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30:5‬ ‭

"Fear never wrote a symphony or poem, negotiated a peace treaty, or cured a disease.  Fear never pulled a family out of poverty or a country out of bigotry.  Fear never saved a marriage or a business. Courage did that. Faith did that. People who refused to consult or cower to their timidities did that.  But fear itself?  Fear herds us into a prison and slams the doors.  Wouldn't it be great to walk out?" -Max Lucado

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:”‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭26:3-4‬ ‭

"The fear-filled cannot love deeply.  Love is risky.  They cannot give to the poor.  Benevolence has no guarantee of return.  The fear-filled cannot dream wildly.  What if their dreams sputter and fall from the sky?  The worship of safety emasculates greatness. 

No wonder Jesus wages such a war against fear." -Max Lucado

“For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of truth. But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.”‭Psalms‬ ‭31:3, 5, 14‬ ‭

"Fear corrodes our confidence in God's goodness..."-Max Lucado

“In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭62:7-8‬ ‭

"Fear of insignificance creates the result it dreads, arrives at the destination it tries to avoid, facilitates the scenario it disdains." -Max Lucado

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-6‬ ‭

“Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭143:8‬ ‭

Isn't it sobering to think on the real destruction that fear brings about?  I've allowed fear to wreak too much havoc in me and I desire and am choosing to trust instead!!  Trust literally destroys fear!!!  It's like a rock, paper, scissors tournament and trust ALWAYS wins! It's like the World Series and Trust sweeps!  It's like a bow and arrow competition and Trust hits bullseye every single time! (ok so actually waaaaay more impacting than those examples but I think you get the point right?! lol.)  Don't "side" with fear!  Entertaining or embracing however little or much of bad fear has no amount of benefit whatsoever!!! Don't let it's "comfort" zone fool you!  

I chose to break the chains of fear by choosing trust. (an all-out-abandon kind of trust!!!)

What about you?  Will you do the same?  We need to do this in order to live for the Kingdom with the most power and most light impaction influence over darkness! :)

Blessings to you!  Praying for you right now!

~Bri

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid!" -John 14:27