Faith is big when we speak of all things God; it’s a key element. And we may nod our heads in assent to that reality. Or maybe, we can feel intimidated, discouraged or baffled about the issue. I know I’ve gone around and about it myself, questioning if, indeed, I had the right kind of faith or enough of it.
I discuss it in my book:
“As I plowed through the Bible, I found a Scripture that summed up who I was and what I was going through.
'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!'
Mark 9:24:
That was me! I knew I couldn’t be enough, love enough, believe enough, and have faith enough unless God helped me.
When I began to feel that I wasn’t hell-bound after all, I experienced an opposing tug in this battle. Another thought popped up: “How do you know you even believe in God, or want to believe in God?” This scared me. My life showed me repeatedly that I couldn’t trust my own heart. Maybe this desperation for God was a new lie.
I decided to fight as hard as I could, not because I was nobly seeking after God, but because I was scared to death of my life without Him. I had to find this story of Jairus’s daughter, but more than that, I had to find God Himself.
The guilt and shame over my past took a backseat to my new urgency in finding God. Some days, I felt like I was saved and on my way to a wonderful life with God. Other days, I left the lights on and slept clutching my Bible for dear life, like a child clutches a teddy bear. I cried. I laughed. I shouted. I cowered. I whispered and whimpered. But through it all, I kept praying, 'God, be real to me, be real.' And I kept reading the Bible.”
Indeed, as cliché as it sounds, actually reading God’s Word has helped me come to terms with my faith. And part of that process was recognizing that having perfect, problem and question free issues regarding the matter was not the same as having faith in the first place. Indeed, again, according to scripture...
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."
Romans 12:3
You have faith; I have faith. And, it’s a living organism, constantly being developed in some way. That may mean it is going through some awkward stages. But we’re never to fear, including the tricky process of our faith development:
"Don't be afraid; just believe."
Mark 5:36
“Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.”
Proverbs 3:25
So, I guess we’re back to the close connection between the presence of faith as the antidote, however imperfect, dwelling in us, to the fear issue.
“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?”
Psalm 27:1
Our fears, running amuck, do nothing good for us.
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
Proverbs 29:25
Yes, the world can be a scary place. But again, that’s where faith in God comes in:
"Don't be afraid; just believe."
Mark 5:36
Ultimately, is the world, in all of its threats, lies and arguments, subject to God’s Power or not? Check out Matthew 8:26:
“And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”
Are you intimidated by the faith issue, feeling only your fears are calling the shots? Remember an acronym to the word, “fear:” “false evidence appearing real.” Fear appears real, but God IS real- and He is really there, helping you now!
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10
Challenge your fears and what you perceive to be your weak, less than, faith- With God’s gift of Jesus Who, indeed, is…
“…the author and the finisher of our faith…”
Hebrews 12:2
Have your faith, believe in its development and live, more and more free of any fear!!!
Copyright © 2012 by Sheryle Cruse
Monday, November 12, 2012
FEAR (False Evidence Appearing real) Versus Faith
Faith is big when we speak of all things God; it’s a key element. And we may nod our heads in assent to that reality. Or maybe, we can feel intimidated, discouraged or baffled about the issue. I know I’ve gone around and about it myself, questioning if, indeed, I had the right kind of faith or enough of it.
I discuss it in my book:
“As I plowed through the Bible, I found a Scripture that summed up who I was and what I was going through.
'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!'
Mark 9:24:
That was me! I knew I couldn’t be enough, love enough, believe enough, and have faith enough unless God helped me.
When I began to feel that I wasn’t hell-bound after all, I experienced an opposing tug in this battle. Another thought popped up: “How do you know you even believe in God, or want to believe in God?” This scared me. My life showed me repeatedly that I couldn’t trust my own heart. Maybe this desperation for God was a new lie.
I decided to fight as hard as I could, not because I was nobly seeking after God, but because I was scared to death of my life without Him. I had to find this story of Jairus’s daughter, but more than that, I had to find God Himself.
The guilt and shame over my past took a backseat to my new urgency in finding God. Some days, I felt like I was saved and on my way to a wonderful life with God. Other days, I left the lights on and slept clutching my Bible for dear life, like a child clutches a teddy bear. I cried. I laughed. I shouted. I cowered. I whispered and whimpered. But through it all, I kept praying, 'God, be real to me, be real.' And I kept reading the Bible.”
Indeed, as cliché as it sounds, actually reading God’s Word has helped me come to terms with my faith. And part of that process was recognizing that having perfect, problem and question free issues regarding the matter was not the same as having faith in the first place. Indeed, again, according to scripture...
"For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."
Romans 12:3
You have faith; I have faith. And, it’s a living organism, constantly being developed in some way. That may mean it is going through some awkward stages. But we’re never to fear, including the tricky process of our faith development:
"Don't be afraid; just believe."
Mark 5:36
“Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.”
Proverbs 3:25
So, I guess we’re back to the close connection between the presence of faith as the antidote, however imperfect, dwelling in us, to the fear issue.
“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?”
Psalm 27:1
Our fears, running amuck, do nothing good for us.
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
Proverbs 29:25
Yes, the world can be a scary place. But again, that’s where faith in God comes in:
"Don't be afraid; just believe."
Mark 5:36
Ultimately, is the world, in all of its threats, lies and arguments, subject to God’s Power or not? Check out Matthew 8:26:
“And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.”
Are you intimidated by the faith issue, feeling only your fears are calling the shots? Remember an acronym to the word, “fear:” “false evidence appearing real.” Fear appears real, but God IS real- and He is really there, helping you now!
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
Isaiah 41:10
Challenge your fears and what you perceive to be your weak, less than, faith- With God’s gift of Jesus Who, indeed, is…
“…the author and the finisher of our faith…”
Hebrews 12:2
Have your faith, believe in its development and live, more and more free of any fear!!!
Copyright © 2012 by Sheryle Cruse
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