When was the last time you experienced a challenge or situation that you were not sure you could overcome?  Did you just jump in the middle and figure it will just work out? Or did you think “I can’t…”,  telling yourself it was out of your comfort zone, not your personality.  Often, we scare ourselves into believing the task is just impossible for us. As women we are always trying to appear like we have it all together, like there is nothing that can stop us, however in order to be ‘in control’ we limit ourselves to what we know, what we ‘can do’.  In the background of these situations there is a fight between Fear and Faith.  God has given us the power to overcome this Fear to jump, to move forward and do things we never really thought possible, Faith it is the most powerful companion we have in this life.

The Chaos of Fear

Fear is defined as an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, that it is likely to cause pain or is a threat.  Fear paralyzes, it creates anxiety, worry and often consumes our thoughts with the worst-case scenarios.  Often, we will choose Fear over Faith to protect ourselves from the unknown, what we can’t control.  What we do not realize is that by choosing fear, we end up putting ourselves in a place that can actually create more chaos and long-term challenges.

The Courage of Faith

Contrast Fear with Faith.  Faith is what we believe to be true, a complete trust or confidence in something or someone.    Faith propels you forward, creates forward motion and growth. It is a trust in God and in others that allows us to engage in life-giving relationships.  “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” Hebrews 11:1.   Choosing Faith, to believe, to be hopeful and trust what God says enables us to face challenges head on and stand in courage and strength.  “ Be on your guard; stand firm in the Faith; be courageous; be strong” 1 Corinthians 16:13.  That is empowering!

Fear Drives Courage

Why is it that some women seem as if they have no Fear?  I admire those women who seem fearless, charging forward seemingly having all the courage in the world.  They charge forward in life and look to overcome the challenges laid in front of them with no problem.  Yet when I get to know them more, I find that they would say they are fearful all the time and that is exactly what drives them to succeed. Faced with fear in my own life, whether it is being put on a project that I have little knowledge of at work or a small tragedy with my family, I find that is right when the warrior in me rises.  Fear propels me to find a way to conquer that project or problem.  I might fail, yet I envision myself standing tall, confident, praying on the armor of God and planning my path forward.  It is the most exhilarating feeling I could describe. I’m excited just thinking about it!

Sometimes we need to face Fear in order to have courage.  Courage and Faith together can empower you to leap forward, to take risks, take an opportunity and face Fear head on.  It truly is that fire in your soul that rises up and empowers you to push the boundaries of what your normal capabilities are.  Isn’t that an exciting vision?

We have a choice every day, to choose Fear or Faith.  Don’t let Fear hold you back, use it as the launching pad, the platform that enables you to jump into the world with courage and strength. Every time you jump, God will be there to catch you, have Faith, have courage because you are stronger than you think.

 Have Faith – Trust God – Believe the Best

By: Kim Drobny