We are often more willing to climb a rock wall or jump off of a cliff into the water to risk our physical wellbeing than we are to risk spiritually or emotionally. And truth be told most of us are uncomfortable taking risks of any kind physical, emotional or spiritual and to be honest it kind of makes me mad. I feel mad because fear wins and I hate it when keeps us from becoming all that God wants us to be.
For sure I’ve been guilty of letting fear win, but I am determined not to let fear control my life anymore. I spent many years on enemy territory doing deliverance and helping people get free from all kinds of negative stuff but from most of time so much of the negative stuff started from the grip of fear. Fear is not from God.
Sometimes we don’t even know we are afraid because it shows up as anxiety. I’ve heard it called “free-floating anxiety” by my colleagues, but the truth is under that anxiety are some deep-seated fears and if we clear the fear then we also get rid of the anxiety. It’s an amazing thing to watch people learn how to be fear free, it is so good when we become fear free.
I know all about fear, I spent many years living in marital loneliness and isolation because I was afraid to confront my husband’s anger and I was afraid to tell anyone about it. That’s the kind of thing fear does. It keeps us stuck and isolated.
I consider myself a fairly good risk taker, but what I realized is that I was not a risk taker when it came to relationships. As a child, I lost many relationships so I learned that it is better to keep the status quo than it is to lose people. (which is not a good way to live life by the way, because it meant I kept harmful relationships in my life rather than healthy good ones.)
I am so thankful that I took the risk to put an end to unhealthy relationships in my life. It did mean that I lost some friendships and it even meant that I lost my marriage for a time, but when I took the risk to trust God for the best and let go of the unhealthy it meant I made room for more good to come into my life. It also meant that I had to give up some unhealthy patterns and take risks by trying new ways of being. The amazing thing is as I tried new ways of being that were healthy and good those became the new patterns in my life. The fear dissipated along with the anxiety and I enjoy life more than ever.
If you want to conquer some of your own fears it means taking risks in your life. It may mean trying out some healthy new emotional habits and allowing those to become new patterns. It mean trusting God for the best for you. There are lots of people in your life who need you to be your best self. If you are not living your best self, ask for help. If you ask for help you will find may people who want to see you thriving and will help you get there. Take a risk to be the best you can be. It’s worth it!!
