Facing my Fears

Fear is one of my biggest enemies. I have battled it most of my life, maybe because of my personality. I am determined to keep fighting it because I do not want to live my life in constant fear. Fear is bondage. I want to be free to live and love. I want to be free to dare to do great things. I desire freedom, but when life happens and my house get broken into or a relationship brings pain or unexpected bills cause frustration or whatever else shakes my world, fear often overwhelms me by stealing my hope for the future.

Knowing that I am not safe in my own house brings incredible feelings of fear. I have been working through a lot of emotions over the last week, and I am still (through God's grace!) trying to overcome them. I knew that it wouldn't be easy, and I knew that it would take time, so I am not going to beat myself up over it...no, I'm not. I am also not going to encourage or invite those feelings of fear. I take precautions and measures of security and then speak reason and truth to the situation.

Okay, I just had a sudden idea about how to describe what I am feeling:

Remember Bruce Wayne - a.k.a. Batman - going back to the cave to sit in the middle of the cloud of bats? That's how I feel sometimes. I am willing myself to face it and stay in that fear.

Please hear what I mean. I am NOT saying that I would ignore all reason or throw caution to the wind by placing myself in dangerous situations, but I AM saying that I realize that I cannot run from my problems. Running doesn't solve anything (right, Jonah?), and by sitting still, I realize my dependence on God and I learn more about His Divine Nature through the situation.

I hope all that made sense to someone else besides me...and just to give you hope and set your mind at ease, I am sleeping a little bit better each night! My Jesus truly is good. I am relying on His perfect love to cast out my fear (1 John 4:18), and I acknowledge that God has not given me "a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Tim. 1:7)

Here is some more ammunition. I use it all the time...trust me.

Psalm 27:1-6
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.
For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.