Facing-Off Fear

I am always grateful when God provides fresh insight into problems.   This week I received a double blessing while working with a Client who has struggled with anxiety for many years.  I say a double blessing because I have been battling anxiety as a pulmonary surgery date looms ever closer in my future.  TODAY is the day for my surgery and I want to share briefly God’s kind revelation that has helped me face-off my fears:

I have privately battled claustrophobia for many years.  God has always been faithful to help me when fear has started to overwhelm me, but the thought of being on a respirator has been a fear I have prayed that God would spare me from ever having to experience.  Well, a little over a month ago my doctor found an “extremely rare” something attached to my lung that has to be removed.  (I won’t go into detail here for the sake of brevity.)   I wasn’t handling the thought of being on a respirator very well, largely because I kept trying to ignore the problem.  As THE DAY approached the anxiety began to loom larger.   (Perhaps you have been there or are struggling right now?)

Two days ago I realized that handling the problem by ignoring the problem was actually feeding the problem.   Convicted by this, I confessed my foolishness to God and asked Him for help.  As I prayed, I felt gently chided for my silliness and then my mind was flooded with memories of when God helped me relax by trusting Him with whatever fear I faced.  Very quickly peace overwhelmed my heart and mind; totally a “God-thing” that I could never have conjured up in my own strength!

Then yesterday morning, I picked up a little book of wisdom I have recommended to clients for many years titled: A Heart for God by Sinclair Ferguson.  The book opened to the chapter on worship where I read,

“A Christian’s real development in spiritual life will always be revealed by how he or she thinks about God – how much he thinks about Him, and how highly he thinks about Him.   For worship is, essentially, the reverse of sin.  Sin began (and begins) when  we succumb to the temptation, ‘You shall be as gods.”” (That was me handling things in my own strength!)  Ferguson continued, “We make ourselves the center of the universe and dethrone God.  By contrast, worship is giving God His true worth, it is acknowledging Him to be the Lord of all things, and the Lord of everything in our lives.  He is indeed, the Most High God!” (pgs 111-112)

When I thought about this, I was struck with the thought that truly trusting God with my fears required that I let go of them completely and hold onto Him with thanksgiving and in faith.  Remembrance of all that God is and what He has done are the keys to facing-off our fears.  The result?  By resisting fear with worship, my heart and mind have been overwhelmed by His Grace!

Are you facing any type of surgery right now, be it physical, spiritual or emotional?  Join with me now in bowing down to Him . . . praying and praising ALL to HIS GLORY!  He is totally worthy of our trust!