Another good friend had a tornado strike her home when she was a child. She is terrified of storms and has spent many an hour in her interior bathroom. No matter what we say, she takes no chances and slips into the safety of this small interior room when warnings are issued. Her horrible experience many decades ago has created a great fear of storms. It does not help that she lives in the midst of huge trees.
Some are fearful of home break ins or invasion. They take great precautions including alarm systems and cameras to protect themselves and their property. Those who have experienced their homes being broken into speak of the feeling of loss of boundaries once someone has gone through their property. They live with the knowledge that someone has been in their home uninvited and the walls of protection are now vulnerable. The locked door which once made you feel so safe has now become no better than a closed door.
Our fears can control our lives if we are not careful. I have fears--more of the security type. Will I have a long time illness requiring extensive care? What if I live to be 100 (HEAVEN HELP THE WORLD!), will my income be sufficient for that long? What if the economy fails? These fears are based on past experience and go all the way back to my childhood. If I am not careful, I can become obsessive about thinking of all the what if's. My fears then can keep me from constructive behavior and instead become destructive to my walk.
As I study ahead for our Small Group study, I am now covering the shield of faith. The author states until we have conquered our fears, we will not be able to lift our shield of faith. I began to consider the fears I have in my life. Our enemy knows our vulnerabilities and attacks us in our weakest places. Those are the places that produce fear. "The enemy sends flaming arrows into your life specifically when you are being called to walk in faith. Those arrows are deliberately intended to disable you from doing the only thing that has the power to extinguish them: walking in faith!" Priscilla Shirer That is where faith comes in~"Faith doesn't just deflect the enemy's flaming accusations; it extinguishes them." Do I trust God? I can choose to live in faith with an unwavering confidence in God and His promises. Faith is powerful stuff--fear not-trust God!
In addition to all, taking up the shield of faith
with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Ephesians 6:16
Faith does and will conquer our fears in this life. Doesn't mean we won't experience fearfulness from time to time, but we will no longer be possessed by fear. Great reflection, Lulu!
ReplyDeleteBlessings!