If given a choice (and we are), which would you choose? To lead a life controlled by fear, guilt, and shame; or one in which you faced your past, fears, and doubts to live in contentment and peace?
There is no third option. If we want to live a fearless life, the opportunity is open to every one of us. All we need to do is make that choice.
Certainly, no one wants to live in a world controlled by the person who injured us, or the things that we did in the past that we should have never done. We don’t have to if we accept Christ as the pathway to living a fearless life. It is the reality of who we are in Him that can truly begin to heal our lives.
In light of the huge change that we can achieve in overcoming this fear, it is amazing how so many people stall here and cannot seem to close the door on their past. That’s because when we leave a bad marriage; recognize a pattern in our lives that we don’t want to repeat, or simply stop acting out, we have changed our environment, or our response to it, but we have done little to change ourselves. It’s like the person who stops drinking alcohol but still acts out as if they did.
It is God’s greatest desire that we live life to the fullest and achieve the great joy that He has planned for us. To us, our present circumstances may seem overwhelming, pointless, and filled with pain, but God is capable of viewing our situation from an eternal perspective.
He assures us that if we place our trust in Him, even the most painful of those losses will be made whole. He offers us hope.
What prevents us from doing this?
Simply put, fear of change, and fear of failing. What causes these fears? Fear is nothing more than a lack of faith in God. Fear is often a trigger that fuels our anger; it is what stops us from overcoming the things we should conquer in our lives. Fear stops us from seizing opportunities. Fear will destroy our growth and healing. Fear is a tool of Satan.
In faith, fear can be overcome. Christ came to help us get a glimpse of what the Kingdom of Heaven is like and to show us the kind of victorious life that God wants us to live. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says “Don’t be afraid!” Christ will give you direction and supply your needs. Here, He gives us a formula that will allow us to live a life without fear…
“33 But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:33-34 NASB)
Jesus is asking us not to be filled with fear, but to instead be filled with faith in all things large and small, and as we follow Him!
What is your choice?