Fear v Faith- Being Courageous

Every day we face moments that allow us to be defined by our next move.  In business sometimes we have to have that courageous conversation with an employee who is not performing satisfactorily.  As educators we have to talk with parents of an under performing student. Coaches tell their athletes where they need to improve.  And there are even those times when we have to tell be completely honest with a friend or family member about their behavior.

The bottom line is choosing the right conversation for the right time.  Sometimes remaining silent is the easy thing to do.  Other times it is exactly what needs to happen.  But the times when you need to speak up are sometimes the hardest.  Usually, when we choose to remain silent it is because we fear the outcome.  The scenarios of what will happen run through our head.  " Will she hate me?"  "Will I get fired?" " Will they ever speak to me again?"  None of that matters though if remaining silent will cause more harm than to take the chance to change someones life by simply telling the truth.

When we think about the first scenarios we understand that an under performing employee has a negative impact on business.  If we ignore an under performing student and say nothing, he or she will fail.  Coaches want their athletes to be the best and must, in some instances, be brutally honest.  And in relationships with friends and family, to remain quiet strains everything.

Pastor Joyce provides us with a great teaching on fear vs faith.  As you read  her words today, think about a time when fear may have stopped you from something that you are absolutely called to do. Maybe its a conversation that will be extremely difficult.  No matter what, FEAR NOT.....

Fear vs. Faith by

Joyce Wyrostek April 27

Fear by definition is: a distressing negative sensation by a perceived threat; it is an innate emotion that almost always relates to future events such as worsening of a situation, or continuation of a situation that is unacceptable.  God says, “Fear not” 365 times in the scripture, so obviously it is an emotion that can be overcome.

Fear is the antithesis of faith and only the faith of God, that which is born in us at our spiritual re-birth can overcome it.  Faith is a characteristic of one who is justified and made righteous by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We do not overcome fear by the works of the flesh as the world would have us believe by proclaiming that we must face our fear if we are ever to overcome it.

When the just walk by faith as declared in scripture it means that fear has been cast out, and we can walk in complete confidence and trust that God is willing and able to do all that He says He will do; “With man it is impossible but not with God for with God all things are possible.”(Mark 10:27)

Every time fear overtakes our emotions it causes us to be anxious and we are hindered from doing the will of God in our life.  God does not ask us to do anything that He is not capable of doing through us.  Our fear then comes from thinking that God wants us to do a thing that we cannot do, and thus He cannot do.

What we often fail to realize is that faith is a gift from God.  The minute we say, “Yes Lord” he gives us the ability and capability to perform whatever feat it is that He is asking. And more often than not it is supernatural and bypasses our natural thought processes.  If we ponder a thing long enough we can always come up with logical reasons not to follow through with the original God breathed plan.