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7 Reasons To Choose Faith Over Fear

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7 Reasons To Choose Faith Over Fear


FAITH


According to the Oxford Dictionary, FAITH is defined as "complete trust or confidence in someone or something".

Dictionary.com defines FAITH as a "belief that is not based on proof".

I introduced these definitions and spent time discussing faith in an earlier blog.









"For we live by faith, not by sight." 

-2 Corinthians 5:7


Faith says there's a way through even if you cannot see a clear path at the present time. Faith enables you to take on obstacles that would otherwise be deemed overwhelming or impossible.

FEAR


On the opposite end of the spectrum, fear is an irksome and distressing feeling that a person or thing is hazardous, life-threatening, and may be accompanied by a threat, real pain, or dangerous outcome.

Dictionary.com says, "Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid."

Fear is primal in its nature and does serve a purpose. It turns loose our fight or flight response which can help keep us alive and out of harm's way. The adrenaline rush associated with fear can even sharpen our senses which may boost our performance. Fear can set off our "Spidey-sense" forewarning us of impending danger allowing us to react and keep ourselves, our family, and our environment safe.

But living in fear can do some real damage. Prolonged stress levels attributed to ongoing fear can contribute to high blood pressure, increased chances of stroke, trouble with vision, heart problems, impotence, ulcers, and other health issues.

Fear can also keep us from thinking clearly and hold us back from high performance or doing the positive things we know we should be undertaking.


"Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. The fearful are caught as often as the bold."  

-Helen Keller


You can find so much in the world to be afraid of if you choose to do so. People can be afraid of:

  • Change
  • Intimacy
  • Loss
  • Success
  • Dying
  • Failure
  • Embarrassment

And there is an incredible and lengthy list of phobias that have people scared. You can look at some of those from verywellmind.




The Choice


Faith and fear are polar opposites. We say faith is a belief in an outcome derived from something we can't see or prove. Fear is an emotion brought about when we think a threat, a danger, or a resulting pain can be inflicted by someone or something. That someone or something may only be imagined but the emotion of fear will still be as strong as an imminent visible threat.


"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."  

-Mark Twain



There is good news to report. CHOICE. You can CHOOSE to live by FAITH or, you can CHOOSE to live in FEAR. 

Positive and negative thoughts cannot occupy your mind at the same time. Joy and misery cannot be felt at the same moment. Faith and fear cannot co-exist. 

If you feed one, you will starve the other. Here is some motivation to adopt faith over fear.


7 Reasons To Choose Faith Over Fear


1. Faith mobilizes. Fear paralyzes.


Because faith dictates that the best possible outcome lies ahead you want to begin as quickly as possible to obtain that promise. You know the sooner you depart, the sooner you will arrive.

Fear stops us in our tracks. You envision the worst possible outcome and often that ends in neither fight nor flight. Instead, you do absolutely nothing, or you procrastinate so long that the opportunity passes you by.

2. Faith energizes. Fear drains.


Faith says you are not alone. You have company on your road trip, and you are excited because He knows the best route, and all the best rest areas, and promises you won't run out of fuel until you get to your destination. You are pumped up and ready to go.


"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

Fear says you're out on a limb. There is nobody to go on this road trip. There is construction, the bridge is out, there's a fuel shortage, and you don't have any idea which way to go. You're exhausted and you haven't even got in your vehicle yet.

3. Faith encourages. Fear discourages.


Faith is your cheerleader. You DO have the skills to win. You WILL get the help you need. You ARE more than enough. 

Fear is a liar. You DON'T have the skills to win. You WON'T get any help because everyone knows you'll lose. You ARE NEVER going to be enough. You've failed before. You'll fail this time.






4. Faith delivers possibility. Fear embraces impossibility.


Since faith is a "complete trust or confidence in someone or something" then there are no limits to what can be accomplished if we live by faith. You are relying not on your own abilities but the abilities of your Creator, which means the sky's the limit.

"According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway, because bees don't care what humans think is impossible."  -The Bee Movie

Fear begins right away with all the reasons something can't be done and doesn't stop there. As you continue to feed your fear, it perpetually adds to that list of things you never thought of until a landslide of stress and doubt has you worrying about what's coming next.


5. Faith calms. Fear stresses.


Faith not only offsets fear but it eliminates worry also. If you believe in the outcome, what is there to worry about? That creates a calm that only faith can provide.

Fear, however, is relentless. Since you're going to fail anyway and don't deserve a good outcome, your mind is constantly plagued by stress, sleeplessness, and the ever-growing list of what can go wrong.

6. Faith frees the mind. Fear clouds the mind.

Faith makes a way where there is no way. Since God is in control, you are left with positive thoughts and can concentrate on the best way to operate within His plan. Your mind is free to think because you've surrendered to God's timing, so the pressure is off.

Fear introduces one roadblock after another until you believe there is no way out. Your judgment is hampered and your capacity to problem-solve is restricted.

7. Faith strengthens. Fear weakens.



When you exercise faith and trust in God, you grow stronger.




Fear causes you to constantly run uphill unless you're swimming against the current instead. You are tired and defeated. You may even become so weakened that you abandon your quest.

"Fear can be good when you're walking past an alley at night or when you need to check the locks on your doors before you go to bed, but it's not good when you have a goal and you're fearful of obstacles. We often get trapped by our fears, but anyone who has had success has failed before."  

-Queen Latifah



Choose then



Again, you get to choose. What you focus on you continue to feed and it will continue to grow. Choose faith and you choose freedom. Choose fear and you choose flight. And although fear has a purpose when it comes to helping you recognize unsafe and dangerous situations, you will want to kick most fear to the curb. This song might help:






Next Steps


Feed Your Faith

  • Read the Bible. Fill your mind's arsenal with verses that encourage your faith and free you from fear. The phrase "DO NOT BE AFRAID" is written in the Bible 365 times. God knows fear exists so He gave you a verse for every day of the year to help.






  • Pray. Prayer is a powerful tool to strengthen your faith and eliminate your fears.

  • Keep Good Company. It's vital to surround yourself with positive people and people of faith. 
  • Step Out. Build your faith muscle like you do any other muscle. Give it a workout. Back up your faith with action.

Starve Your Fear

  • Address it. Don't hide from your fear. Access it. If it's a real threat or danger, react accordingly. If only perceived, discard it. The more you evaluate, the better your discernment will be.
  • Banish negativity. Fear has enough power on its own without you feeding it with negative news, negative programs, negative friends, or negative thoughts. Time for them to go.

  • Replace it. Whenever a fearful thought enters your mind, replace it with a better scenario, a contingency plan that produces the desired outcome, or one of the Bible verses you read about faith. 

Living with fear means acknowledging and facing your fears, not letting them dominate your life








Remember, what you focus on, you feed. What you feed, grows.

If you are going to choose faith over fear, you will have to do it consciously and with purpose. You can live in fear, or you can live a life of victory in faith. It's always a choice.

What do YOU choose? 



"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."  

-2 Timothy 1:7




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