What are your fears and anxieties?
How do they show up?
How do they stop you?
I deal with the twin fears of rejection and failure. One feeds the other and they can stop me in my tracks.
Those are the basis for my perfectionism and need to control. Basically, that is where my codependent tendencies were born.
I could go into where & how that all started, but we’ll save that for another time and place. Suffice to say, they don’t rule me now, and the freedom to be able to say that is amazing.
God says we can take every fear, every anxiety, every care and cast it on Him. Catch that terminology there. That’s not a gentle laying down of a treasure. It’s a violent thrusting away. He wants us to abhor those things that wrap us up, stopping us from doing His will and being who He died for us to be.
Picture throwing off every anxiety like when we have a spider or other creature suddenly appear on our skin – vigorously brushing and shoving and thrusting those fears and anxieties on the Lord. All those worries. All those anxieties. All those concerns. Once and for all.
The reason isn’t because we’re afraid of them, but because we were never meant to carry them, held steadfast in their sway. We are created to walk on all those high places of fear and doubt like a deer on uneven surfaces. (Habakkuk 3:19)
God loves us so much! He wants us to be free from this tactic of the enemy meant to stop us from being who were meant to be. In our English version, the text shows Peter says God cares for us. The Greek translates to, “He cares for you with deepest affection and watches over you very carefully.”
God knows us intimately. He knows what we’ve been through and what’s coming next. He longs for us to trust Him with both. There’s great peace and freedom when we do.
Maybe today you can notice that fear riding on your shoulder like a big, ugly ____________ (fill in the blank). When you spot it, grab it and throw it with all your power onto God. He’s ready, and He won’t throw it back.
Then do the same for the next one, and the one after that. Every day or several times a day if you must. He’s still there. His care for you is unlimited. UNLIMITED.
Ready? EEK! What’s that on your shoulder?????
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
