From FEAR to FAITH

I live in a neighborhood full of hills. I do not even need to go to the gym to get an aerobic workout if my feet move fast enough beneath me. There is something about being out in nature that sets my spirit soaring and my mind talking to my Creator. I have about seven passages of Scripture that I am meditating on as I walk my couple mile trek. I love nothing better than to say these passages out loud and talk to the Lord by repeating His Word back to Him and listening for His response to me.

As I have said before, Rob and I have been facing some personal challenges in which God is requiring a new level of trust of us. Yesterday, as the late afternoon sun was sinking beyond the horizon, I remembered an acronym for the word FEAR that I had heard in the past:

F: False
E: Evidence
A: Appearing
R: Real

I have been so guilty of anticipating the “what-ifs” and worrying about the future, even though Scripture clearly tells me not to worry about tomorrow. I can so easily become panicked and terrified when I allow myself to wonder how the situation is going to all turn out in the end. And I camp on that false evidence appearing real and make myself an absolute wreck.

I have been familiar with the verses in Hebrews 13:5-6 for longer than I can remember. My parents used to tell me the truth of these powerful words in letters as we were 420 miles apart because of the distance of my boarding school from our mission station. Overfamiliarity has taken the heart-soaring ability to encourage my fearful heart from me when I read these in the version of the Bible I am most familiar with. I am meditating on and memorizing these same verses out of the Amplified Bible:

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]

So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently and boldly say, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be seized with alarm [I will not fear or dread or be terrified]. What can man do to me?

Hebrews 13:5-6 (Amplified Bible)

Someone besides me needs to know that our God will not in any way fail us, nor give us up, nor leave us without support. I love the repeat of the words I will not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let you down. Assuredly not!

How do we know these words are true? Because just two verses later is the greatest promise mankind has ever been given: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (verse 8). My sweet sisters, let’s ask Him who never changes–never–to change our False Evidence Appearing Real to faith:

F: Full

A: Assurance

I: In

T: Trusting

H: Him.

Jesus, I don’t have to sit in the what-ifs of tomorrow. You are already there in my tomorrow and will continue to never let me go.