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Guest Post: Fear

As you may recall, I challenged my friend AJ to write a devotion last week.  I also challenged myself to complete my character profiles--I did not do this.  But in my defense, I'm in crisis mode with my family and my mind is not fully devoted to anything besides prayer and family.  However, AJ completed the challenge.  And here is her wonderful devotional:

Today I want to talk about the F word.  Oh yeah, I’m going there.  It’s the ugliest four letter word you can think of.  Okay, ready?  Here it goes…

FEAR.

At some point, we’ve all been scared of something.  As children we are scared of monsters under the bed, the boogeyman in the closet, or in the case of one of my nieces…the tooth fairy.  J  But as we grow, fear begins to take on a more real form in our lives.

Have you ever let the fear of failing keep you from going after something you wanted?  Maybe it’s a new job, or trying to reach your goal weight (boy have I failed at this one a time or two…or ten), or maybe you’ve been holding off on dating someone new because you are fearful of what a new relationship could bring. 

We often let it {fear} paralyze us from pursing our goals because we have a fear of failing.  I look back on my life so far and already I see many times where I have let the fear of failing stop me.  I didn’t try out for the dance team for the first 3 years of high school because I was scared.  Scared of what? I was hesitant to even tell people that I was thinking of starting a side business because I was scared of it failing.  If we let fear stop us from everything, nothing in our lives will ever get accomplished!

 But not after today.  No more.  Yeah, I know…easier said than done, right? 

But friends, today I have great news.  There’s someone who wants to take all our fears and worry away!  He wants us to completely and utterly TRUST in Him.  To not even worry about that new job, that diet, or that new relationship.  Know why?  Because He already knows how it turns out.  J  He has a plan for you, for me, and He doesn’t want our FEAR of failure to stop us from pursuing His will for us.  Oh yeah, by now you know who I’m talking about…God. 

No more will fear stop us.  After today I want you to take the F word, FEAR, out of your vocabulary.  Two verses I leave with you today:

Jeremiah 29:11-  For I know the plans I have you, says the Lord.  Plans for good and not for evil,           to give you a future and a hope. (NLT)

Mark 11:24- I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. (NLT)

I don’t know what fear you’re battling with today friend, but I know that if you truly give it up to God and trust in Him and His will, you will be blessed.  I encourage you to replace the word fear with another F word.  You’ve probably heard it a time or two…

FAITH.  J

Blessings,

Amanda