Faith over Fear

 Humans are, if anything, creatures of habit. We like our routines - even if that routine is resisting routine. One thing that stands out is how we react to things that shake up the routine. Is your initial reaction to a party invitation excitement or to scramble for an excuse to politely avoid what is sure to be a gathering of extroverts? (I'm an ambivert, so it will depend on who is there and the type of food being served.)

Whether the event is good or bad will shape your reaction. And it's important to note, if you have young people around, they are watching and learning from you. Scripture tells us to train a child in the way they should go. A part of this training is to do our best to react appropriately to changes to our "perfect world". 

A gracious answer to invitations, showing care and consideration when attending events - aka knowing when it's time to go home, when you should bring a dish, and avoiding talking about politics if you know it will cause a fight. 

Children are also watching our reactions when storms hit us. They want to know it will be okay. In those times, it is important to lean on Jesus. Only He can carry you through the tempest. The Bible does not promise we will not face hardships. A perfect example can be found in the book of Job, and there are many other examples of hardships sprinkled throughout scripture. 

Yesterday, I received what for us is a large tax bill for the house. We never received one before - or so I thought until I dug through our records today. Rather than praying, my initial reaction was fear. "We will lose everything." "How will we eat?" I calmed down enough to pray - more of a "Why God?" And then it dawned on me - the taxes are usually handled by the mortgage company. It was late in the day, and I wasn't prepared to speak to the mortgage company - i.e., suffer through the nails on a chalkboard hold music. I did my best to set aside the worry. I decided to wait until morning and call them. 

Why was my first reaction to panic almost to the point of being irrational? Trauma response. As a kid, because of the way my father handled things, we wound up homeless often. So, any bump in the road, I go into a panic mode. I get angry and scared - decades later. What should I do instead? I should ground myself in the Word of God. Isaiah 41:10 'So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.'  There are many verses that tell us not to fear. And yet, like Peter, my eyes didn't find Christ in the storm. I felt I was about to drown, drown in fear and worry. Drowning in a past that grips me still. I had forgotten to allow faith to overcome fear.

As it turns out, the taxes for my property will be paid by the mortgage company, as they are every year. Even though Mark is no longer here to ask, God is here, and my initial reaction based on fear was a poor example to my children. - That said, I can talk about the mistake and let my children know that we must walk by faith and not by sight. That praying and sleeping on a problem can help us have a clearer picture. And that no matter what happens, we have an awesome and powerful God.

We all have habits that are not what you would see in a 'perfect Christian'. And that, Dear Reader, is because none of us are perfect! And yet, we have a Savior who loves us and asks that we trust in Him. And that is the most wonderful, blessed assurance.