Speaking of fears….

So you’re probably new around here (so am I, coincidentally) so I figured I would do a few introductory posts so you could get to know me a little better. According to my last post, I said something to the effect of, “our fears show us something about ourselves” or something like that. SO I thought I would let you in on a few of mine. In the spirit of honesty. 

When I was a child, I had a very real, however, very irrational fear that haunted me. It was at its worst in dark rooms, especially movie theaters. I don’t know where this fear came from, and to be honest I’m not sure when it left, but I still feel the lingering effects of the trauma from my childhood with it looming over me, giving me chills and making my heart race. 

What was it, you ask? Prepare yourself. It was….

Dinosaurs. 

I am not kidding. I had nightmares. I was overcome with anxiety in movie theaters because I imagined a large T-Rex crashing through the roof and squishing us all to bits. I thought Jurassic Park was actually real and I could be chased by a huge prehistoric beast at any moment in time. I legitimately thought I saw a pterodactyl one time and it confirmed all my fears.

Chaos. Total chaos in my mind, imagining the horrors of what could happen if just one dino was set loose in the world. Somehow it was going to find me and that would be the end of it for Sarah. 

Now I am happy to report I can walk through a science museum without trembling at the sight of a triceratops, and I can finally watch The Land Before Time movies without crying. (Just kidding- I still cry at those but for different reasons) and I have grown to love Jurassic Park. This childhood fear does not haunt me anymore. 

Okay look, I know this story is silly, but I think it shows some truth about how sometimes what we perceive as being real truly isn’t what we think it is. I may not be scared of dinosaurs anymore, but as an adult I have found that the fears that I face now seem just as real as that fear I faced as a child. I may have grown out of that one fear only to be faced with many more fears that try to haunt me on a regular basis. These fears speak of other things like failure, disappointing people I love, never living out my purpose, never knowing what my purpose is.

You know, the Bible is cool because it shows real people like you and me with real fears like I have and how God had the right solution for all those fears. You may have heard this verse quoted a lot from 2 Timothy 1:7- “God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid but a spirit of power and love and self-control.” But I want to put your attention on the verse before it that says this: “This is why I remind you to keep using the gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. Now let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire”. Look at what Paul was saying to Timothy. When he was talking about how God didn’t give him a spirit of fear, he was speaking in the context of what gifts God has placed on his life. When we are living out the things that God has gifted us to do, God doesn’t give fear. That fear comes from a very real enemy that is working to distract us from fulfilling our purpose. 

I love the verbiage from the NCV where is says “Now let it grow, as a small flame grows into fire”. The gifts you have may be barely a spark, but with a fan, they can catch onto the things around them and grow into a beacon of light and warmth for those around. What is a fan to your gifts? Good relationships. Prayer. Hard work. Perseverance. Faith. You see, fear puts walls up and keeps the air out that your gifts need to flourish. Let faith and courage break down your walls and free you to pursue what God has asked you to do.

You may be reading this and saying, “thats a nice sentiment, but I have no idea what my gifts are.” There is one way to find out who you are and what your gifts are. Being in the presence of God is where those gifts will be revealed. Surround yourself with people who love God and believe in him. I always say this, when you don’t know the specific will of God (what to do with your life, who to marry, what job to take, what church to attend, etc.) spend time doing the general will of God which is praying, spending time reading Bible, and fellowshipping with other believers, worshipping God. God is still speaking today and he wants to speak to you!

I will be uploading some scriptures to combat fear. I want to also give some practical steps to conquer fear. I’m excited to share the with you. If you have fears that are hard for you to overcome, I want to pray for you. DM me on Instagram or email me. I would love to have the opportunity to pray for you!

You’ve got this. You are stronger than you think. You are capable of more than you realize. Don’t give up. xoxox