Wednesday, May 15, 2013

So You're Not Intimidated?


"In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted..."   ... 2 Timothy 3:12

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Let me guess.... Many of you don't believe you're being intimidated, right?

I'm thinking I wasn't specific enough in my last post, for hey! I believe if no one is intimidating you, well, you're in the wrong place. You may only be walking within your own, lesser, no-big-deal-to-satan plan.

'Hidden examples' of intimidation?

You wanted to stay home with your children while they were young, but relatives/friends/the news media told you it wasn't financially possible or smart for you/your children.

You felt God asking you to bake something for your neighbor or ask if they needed help, but you thought they'd find that silly so you reasoned the thought away. 

Out of conviction you began a blog, but few people commented or someone made a cruel remark or no one cared and someone said you shouldn't share your feelings online with others, anyway--so you gave up.

God nudged you to go back to college, but you/others said you were too old/poor/slow and where would you find the time to study and still get things done?

For decades you longed to become an artist/writer/equestrian/farmgirl/actor/singer but others told you to be something else, so you chose a different path. Or you kept waiting until you could give yourself 100% to your dream, rather than starting with tiny goals, then later, working your way into it, heart and soul. That time never came.

God nudged you to share yourself and Him at Facebook, but friends and news stories told you it was a dangerous/pointless/waste-of-time place. Or you're avoiding connecting with tons of old friends at Facebook simply because one or two 'frenemies' might find you (and you've not realized you can block them and customize your own experience there).

You feel convicted to walk for exercise, but you're afraid of dogs/men/cracked sidewalks out there or that you'll just eventually quit anyway like others have. 

Your friends/co-workers all criticized something you deeply believe in, but you said nothing when God gave you the right words. It's a rare day that you step outside of The Comfort Zone.

(Wonder how I came up with some of these? Guess...)  :)

Fear intimidates us more than anything else. Fear switches the course of our life and aims it toward a sort of nowhere land. Fear changes our minds and our God-designed destiny. Saying yes to fear makes us disobedient to God and snatches away all our potential peace, happiness, fulfillment. 

Me? My goal is to reach Heaven having lived the life God mapped out for me, with the fewest regrets possible, and to fly away from Earth with amazing memories of what obedience to an awesome God made possible...

... so fear and intimidation must be cast away. Daily.


*****

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."   ... 1 John 4:18


"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you."   ... Psalm 56:3

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Need more good verses dealing with fear? Go here.




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