Victory Through His Power
I am honored to be featured as a guest blogger on a dear friend's series on Repentance! I have known Abi since high school and she is an inspiration to me! She is a powerful Spirit-led worship leader and speaker. Her recent series on repentance includes meaningful stories of where God meets individuals right where they're at and rescues them from the pit of destruction. Feel free to follow and subscribe her writings at https://myhopeanew.blogspot.com
Even from a young age, I did not handle change well. I can remember coming home from a weekend vacation, unable to sleep with dread for the next school day. I remember tears, anxiety, and prayers with my parents. Fast forward many years and similar battles later, I can recognize and understand the trigger to these episodes. Since those childhood years, I have faced two major bouts of anxiety brought on by change, stress, and health-related concerns.
People often comment that they're surprised that I deal with anxiety because I portray my self as confident and in control of my life. I admit that may be a fact that I'm not necessarily proud of. I believe in authenticity and being real with people, but I also believe in the power of choosing positive thoughts and not wallowing in self-pity. I recently have been reading "More Jesus Less Religion" by Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton and was struck by this excerpt on pages 92-93:
I have never known anyone to suffer more from being vulnerable than from being secretive about who they are. I've often said it would be better for our problems to be printed in the church bulletin and read by everyone on Sunday than for us to go to church without anyone knowing our struggles.
But if vulnerability is so good and so helpful, then why is it so hard for most of us to achieve? Why do so few of us risk it?
I think a lot of us resist opening up because we're afraid others will ostracize us when they discover we're not perfect or that our image doesn't match reality. Many times our fear of being rejected prevents us from connecting with people who may have shared the same kinds of struggle we are facing. And somehow we don't see that by sharing we can give hope to fellow strugglers. So we protect ourselves and thus miss another opportunity to connect and to minister to people.
James 5:16 tells us, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."
This was such a powerful reminder that if we aren't confessing our struggles to others, how will we ever know how to support and pray for each other in our various battles? If we refuse vulnerability, not only do we miss the opportunity to heal, but we also surrender the chance to grow. In order to be healthy, we must sacrifice our pride and allow people to know where we are at physically, emotionally, and spiritually!
One of my earliest posts I wrote on my blog gave a raw and real glimpse into my reality on this journey: Waking in the early mornings shaking in fear, but not being able to mentally pinpoint what was causing my fear... sleeplessness...rapid breathing... racing heart...pacing... tense muscles... entire body shaking... chills... sweat... nausea. There were many dark days that I faced, but I never was alone. God always provided through His all-surpassing peace, the loving arms of my husband wrapped around me, the bold truth of Jesus' Word spoken over me by my mother, and the prayers of dear friends who I texted on the difficult days.
This journey through anxiety has taught me that true, Christlike freedom can only be obtained after I repent from:
Playing God...I need to humbly recognize that I am not the one in control.
Pride...I need to humbly acknowledge that I have struggles and I will never be perfect this side of Heaven.
Fear...I need to recognize that fear is from the pit of hell and banish it from my mind and speech.
Anxiety seems to be a growing epidemic in our world and Satan keeps using it to tear us down and immobilize us. A quote that I have jotted in my journal from a speaker is, "Fear is an earth-centered reaction to distress, while faith is a God-centered response to life's tragedies." Let's strive to be God-centered and rooted in Him!
A favorite verse from my journal is taken from Psalm 112:7-8: "I will have no fear of bad news, my heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. My heart is secure, I will have no fear, in the end I will look with triumph over my foes."
Wherever this post finds you today, remember that with the help of our Living God, anxiety no longer has bondage over our lives! Let His truth and love permeate through all of your being and may we all experience victory through His power!
Even from a young age, I did not handle change well. I can remember coming home from a weekend vacation, unable to sleep with dread for the next school day. I remember tears, anxiety, and prayers with my parents. Fast forward many years and similar battles later, I can recognize and understand the trigger to these episodes. Since those childhood years, I have faced two major bouts of anxiety brought on by change, stress, and health-related concerns.
People often comment that they're surprised that I deal with anxiety because I portray my self as confident and in control of my life. I admit that may be a fact that I'm not necessarily proud of. I believe in authenticity and being real with people, but I also believe in the power of choosing positive thoughts and not wallowing in self-pity. I recently have been reading "More Jesus Less Religion" by Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton and was struck by this excerpt on pages 92-93:
I have never known anyone to suffer more from being vulnerable than from being secretive about who they are. I've often said it would be better for our problems to be printed in the church bulletin and read by everyone on Sunday than for us to go to church without anyone knowing our struggles.
But if vulnerability is so good and so helpful, then why is it so hard for most of us to achieve? Why do so few of us risk it?
I think a lot of us resist opening up because we're afraid others will ostracize us when they discover we're not perfect or that our image doesn't match reality. Many times our fear of being rejected prevents us from connecting with people who may have shared the same kinds of struggle we are facing. And somehow we don't see that by sharing we can give hope to fellow strugglers. So we protect ourselves and thus miss another opportunity to connect and to minister to people.
James 5:16 tells us, "Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed."
This was such a powerful reminder that if we aren't confessing our struggles to others, how will we ever know how to support and pray for each other in our various battles? If we refuse vulnerability, not only do we miss the opportunity to heal, but we also surrender the chance to grow. In order to be healthy, we must sacrifice our pride and allow people to know where we are at physically, emotionally, and spiritually!
One of my earliest posts I wrote on my blog gave a raw and real glimpse into my reality on this journey: Waking in the early mornings shaking in fear, but not being able to mentally pinpoint what was causing my fear... sleeplessness...rapid breathing... racing heart...pacing... tense muscles... entire body shaking... chills... sweat... nausea. There were many dark days that I faced, but I never was alone. God always provided through His all-surpassing peace, the loving arms of my husband wrapped around me, the bold truth of Jesus' Word spoken over me by my mother, and the prayers of dear friends who I texted on the difficult days.
This journey through anxiety has taught me that true, Christlike freedom can only be obtained after I repent from:
Playing God...I need to humbly recognize that I am not the one in control.
Pride...I need to humbly acknowledge that I have struggles and I will never be perfect this side of Heaven.
Fear...I need to recognize that fear is from the pit of hell and banish it from my mind and speech.
Anxiety seems to be a growing epidemic in our world and Satan keeps using it to tear us down and immobilize us. A quote that I have jotted in my journal from a speaker is, "Fear is an earth-centered reaction to distress, while faith is a God-centered response to life's tragedies." Let's strive to be God-centered and rooted in Him!
A favorite verse from my journal is taken from Psalm 112:7-8: "I will have no fear of bad news, my heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. My heart is secure, I will have no fear, in the end I will look with triumph over my foes."
Wherever this post finds you today, remember that with the help of our Living God, anxiety no longer has bondage over our lives! Let His truth and love permeate through all of your being and may we all experience victory through His power!
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