I am borrowing this concept and title from my writing group. We use the "Feedback Corner" to have other people read and critique our work, but today I have a little bit of a different purpose in mind.
I know I already mentioned the Beth Moore simulcast I "attended" a few weeks ago, and how powerful it was (and still is!) in my life. One thing has really stuck with me though, and given me an awful lot to think about. Since I can't sit down with Beth and ask her my questions, (I would absolutely DIE if I ever got to go to Starbucks with Beth and have a heart-to-heart!) my wonderful counselor suggested I ask YOU, my blog world.
Beth had said something like, "I am not chained by fear anymore, but I still get afraid." I am in the battle of my life to lose the shackles of fear that hold me down. To actually hear someone proclaim they are "no longer chained by fear" blows my mind, and gives me incredible hope. I can't even fathom being in that place, but I'm fighting hard for freedom.
As part of this process, I'm really intrigued by what YOU all out there have to say! If you are a willing participant, step right up, and please answer these 3 questions.
1.) Do you currently, or have you ever struggled with fear?
2.) Have you conquered that fear?
3. If yes, HOW did you conquer that fear?
Thanks so much in advance!!
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Who Is Full of Joy? Part 1
Welcome to Full of Joy ! I’m so happy you stopped by. In all my ten years of blogging, I have yet to actually introduce myself. I’ve noticed...
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7 comments:
I truly think fear is something everyone struggles with to some extent whether the will admit it or not. A lot of people do not like voicing fears because they may look weak to others.
As for your question, yes I have or have had fears.
I was in a really bad wreck and it took months to recover. Afterwards I had a fear of driving. When I did eventually did drive it was only by myself because I didn't want to take the chance of anyone else getting hurt. Eventually, with lots of prayer, I started driving. I still have anxiety at times, but after 19 years it's not as bad as it was. One step at a time. I essentially turned it all over to God and I still do. My fear might have been big, but my God was bigger.
I hope this helps answer your question.
Blessings
Hey hey!
So I so love that you're doing this, here's my experience. I have been dealing with fear for some time. Paralyzing fear that had crippled me and kept me from moving forward in my calling. About two weeks ago I launched a Bible study for the women at our church as I work in full time ministry looking after Discipleship Ministries. The very first night, we had 164 women show up! 164! Being that I am the teacher and responsible for the women of our campus, I was nervous!! So much that I went into the other room and cried! Yes cried! So how did I overcome fear? The study we started on Wednesday was Priscilla Shirer's Armor of God. Great study! Now to answer your questions.
1. Up until two weeks ago, I struggled with immense paralyzing fear.
2. I have conquered that fear through the faithfulness of God. You see, I had a flight the Thursday morning after my fear filled bible study launch. I cried out to God to please help me and to send me someone who was already doing what he called me to do. He is so faithful that He sent no one other than Priscilla Shirer herself!! I got to meet her, ask her about fear and she prayed for me. All because God is faithful and I had a 4 hour layover at the Dallas airport!!
3. I have continued to conquer my fear by speaking the word of God over my circumstance and believing His promises. Priscilla said to me that "when you feel fear, do it anyway. Everytime you step out in fear, courage grows." I believe that to be so very true.
Praying for you as you conquer your fear.
I developed an unhealthy fear of God about three years ago. I was afraid that even the slightest mistake I made would cause me to fall from grace and I freaking out wondering if all my sins were under the blood.
I have since overcome that fear thanks to God Himself. When I needed assurance He spoke to me through the hymns, "Trust & Obey" and "It is Well With My Soul." He's also placed me in a ministry dedicated to reaching the lost. God is good.
1.) Do you currently, or have you ever struggled with fear? Yes. For years before I got pregnant with Noelle I was seeing a counselor for my crippling fears and anxiety. I was afraid of driving, terrified of the prospect of any kind of pain or sickness or suffering, and as I struggled with infertility my greatest fear of all was that I would never get pregnant.
2.) Have you conquered that fear? I can't say I did. It was definitely God. When I found out I was pregnant, my fears started to go away. The one thing I feared most was no longer an issue.
3. If yes, HOW did you conquer that fear? The suffering that I experienced while trying to get pregnant was met with the overwhelming feeling that God was comforting me and helping me through my suffering. Over that long, horrible, period of time, I repeatedly experienced God's presence in a very real way. It helped to seriously decrease my fear of the prospect of suffering because I know that if I experience anything difficult God will be there again as he was when I was infertile.
The driving thing just went away over the years as I drove more.
Also, when I was in counseling, my therapist taught me not to think ahead to worry about the future. Over time I realized how I would worry about the future and nothing would come of my worries. So that was a matter of habitually adjusting my thinking over time. Now when I'm anxious, I do my best to dwell on the present.
Also, journaling and sharing my fears with friends helped a lot.
Abigail, this is such a neat idea! Praying for you, friend. It's so powerful to read what others have already written!
1.) Do you currently, or have you ever struggled with fear?
YES absolutely. Since childhood, I've struggled with social anxiety in varying degrees of severity. More recently, I've faced a fear of "missing the boat" of my calling—just feeling like I took a wrong turn somewhere in life, and that the ministry ship I was supposed to get on sailed without me.
2.) Have you conquered that fear?
I love how everyone who has commented so far has given glory to God for their progress :-D I'll do the same.
I think understanding our fears can be a huge step toward overcoming them.
God has helped me to see that both of the fears I mentioned above are rooted in a disordered perspective of love. (God has used Becky Rice's teaching to help hit this home for me as well!)
As a kid, I wanted very much to be loved and accepted, but I'd experienced rejection enough times to make me fearful of connecting with people more than I absolutely had to. (That was the social anxiety.) Thankfully, God helped me to gain confidence as my relationship with Him deepened in my late teen years. In my immaturity, though, I began to find my worth & value in the approval I received from the ministry leaders I served with.
Looking back, it' s no wonder that I felt such a huge sense of loss when I had to take a break from serving in ministry as I became a mom. It wasn't just setting a commitment aside, it was setting aside the very thing that helped me feel OKAY enough to look people in the eye. As a result, I feared that motherhood meant I'd never reach that pinnacle of success in ministry that I'd envisioned, and thus never find love. BOY was I wrong.
3. If yes, HOW did you conquer that fear?
God is carrying me through to a place of real contentment these days (as in Philippians 4:12-13). Seeing a counselor helps. Staying plugged in to good teaching through books and podcasts helped. Practicing gratitude helps. Now, I can honestly say that I'm finding tremendous fulfillment in my calling as a wife and mother. I do receive opportunities to teach now and then, but instead of throwing all of myself into those times with hopes of reeling in love and acceptance, I'm now free to serve with OVERFLOWING love from the Father spilling out. He is so good, so faithful :-)
Fear - first let's recognize it as the enemy's trick. He is powerless to do anything except as permitted by our Heavenly Father. And if our Father allows it, it is for our good and for His glory. The enemy uses fear to paralyze us with "what-ifs."
Fear is common to all of us at some time and in some degree. I know what fear feels like. My greatest defense is the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit. Quoting it out loud, writing it down and posting it so I can see it often, memorizing it so it is a ready weapon.
Learning to trust God in the dark is a process. We have to be in the dark in order to learn. I have not enjoyed my dark places, sometimes kicking and screaming to get out. But I know it is in the dark where I have learned to trust the heart of God when I could not see His hand.
Keep fighting the good fight of faith. Victory is yours through Jesus Christ because He is the Captain of the Lord's host, and He will fight for you.
1.) Yes! I have lived with fear! About 6 months after Malachi was born I woke up one morning with this immense feeling or fear and anxiety. I couldn't stop crying.
2.) Yes
3.) I cried out to God and told Matthew how I was feeling when he got home. He lead me to the scripture and I remember reading about putting on the armor of God. Every moment that I started feeling fearful or anxious I went back to that scripture. I would imagine myself dressing in the armor of God. I prayed every day for a month and finally the fear and anxiety eased up a bit day by day.
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