All Christians have all struggled with fear. With all the evil and troubles in the world today, it’s hard to not be overcome with fear. Many have lost sight of hope. The same went for many well-known biblical characters. Even many great figures in the Bible struggled with fear and doubt. Even Sarah and Abraham, two of the most important figures in the Old Testament who trusted God through a lifetime of struggles and trials had trouble believing one promise God made to them: that they would give birth to their son in old age. They even laughed at the thought. But what did God do? He followed through on His promise, and their trust in God grew. He followed through, even in their doubt.
Many Christians profess to trust God’s Will for their lives but when it comes down to letting go and letting God, they can’t. We know that God has a special plan and purpose for our lives, most of us don’t have trouble believing this, but the fear develops when we realize that His Will may not be the will we have for ourselves. When we’re afraid of His plan, we begin to doubt His Will for our lives. We then must ask ourselves, how do we let go of that fear and our plan and begin to trust God and His plan?
Fear feels uncomfortable, but in most cases, it won’t really harm you – but attempting to avoid the experience of fear will because you are robbing yourself of the chance to experience the deep satisfaction which comes with listening to your heart and soul and creating a better life fill of passion and purpose. If we want to overcome the fears of today, it’s important that we are confident in God and His Word. If we really want to hear God and begin to trust His Will for our lives, we must get involved with Scripture and hear what God’s Word is telling us. God’s Word provides transformative wisdom, and when we study the Bible and grow closer to the Word, we begin to understand where God is, especially for us. The more confident we are in God’s promises, the closer we get to transformation and renewal. When we begin to see where God is, not where the World is, we can really move towards letting go of doubt and fear.
While we can’t physically hear God, it’s important that we remain confident that God hears us and confident in God’s promises offered through Scripture. This is the place where you will really begin to hear His voice. The more time we spend with Scripture, the more we can hear and know what God’s Will is for us. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you. When you read the Bible and hear God speaking through the Word, you begin to see situations differently and your circumstances in a whole new light. We can’t do this without letting go and trusting God. You then can make decisions based not off a mindset of fear, but where you are being led by God.
It’s easy to trust God when things are going according to our plan for ourselves, but when the plan begins to deviate from what we think should be happening in our lives, it’s easy for us to fall off course because we are allowing doubt to triumph over God. We put up a shield so that we don’t get hurt, but we are only casting out God and hurting ourselves. Proverbs 3:5 which tells us to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding” is a great reminder to let go of self, the thoughts in our head that allow us to believe our plan is greater than God’s, because these are the thoughts that sabotage us and will only lead us astray. We should trust God, even when we don’t understand His greater purpose for our lives.
While God calls us every single day to not be afraid, to simply trust Him in everything can be difficult. The Christian life is a constant battle between fear and trust; anxiety and trust, and doubt and confidence. Worrying can be harmful not only to our emotional health, but also to our physical health. Excessive worrying can lead to depression and can even cause us to become physically ill. When we worry, we get so lost in what might happen that we lose sight of our peace and happiness, and can no longer find our inner calm. But we have hope in God. When circumstances show up that have the ability to break us down, we can trust in God’s promises.
Always remember that you are bigger than any fear you’re facing today and that God is control. One of the best ways to combat your fear is to trust in God and lean on His Word. Immerse yourself in it. While fear may continue to show up for you, when you acknowledge and truly believe that God is in control, anything is possible. Fear can feel like it’s paralyzing you, but fear only has the power to control as much as you allow it to. Trust that you can challenge any fear you have with God and you will always come out victorious.
It is difficult to walk with God when we caught up in our uncertainties. Even when we believe God won’t, He will. Always apply this to your life. Even if you’re struggling with doubt, know that God has a special plan for your life. Focus on your faith, not your doubts.
