ATTITUDES THAT CONQUER FEAR

When growing up, my parents would scare us at night when we threw tantrums, that they would place us outside and Cain (mutheca-itu) would come pick us. Cain was this formless, fugitive who would move from village to village looking for crying children. He would supposedly carry then on his armpits and disappear with them. Well, this worked because we would go to bed quietly. As I think of it today, that was brutal, but it worked for my parents. Bringing up five children needed some cunning means to keep order in the house.

Just as our fictional fugitive was only an imagination, so are most of our fears. What we are afraid of is probably not real or is only in our minds. We might not be in a position to determine what will come our way, but we have the power to decide what we will do with it when it comes. Our response to our fears will determine how we quickly overcome them and move on courageously.

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

(1Timothy 1:7) 

I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that? Soledad O'Brien
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_fear.html

I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that? Soledad O'Brien
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_fear.htm

Some of the attitudes that we can cultivate in our day to day lives so as to defeat fear of the unknown are:   

1) Gratitude 

Having a grateful attitude towards life and its ups and downs, gives us courage to fight fear. We should not only be grateful for what we have but also of where we are in life and what we are going through. Life is a journey, enjoying each moment on the pathway with a grateful heart is a sure way of building courage to face what is ahead.

2) Living in the Now
Living one day at at a time and taking time to enjoy it helps us to breathe out and relax. Believing that God knows our tomorrow keeps us from worrying about it. Worry will only rob us today's joy and cripple our feet thus hindering our progress. Worrying will not solve our fears but makes us anxious and depressed to even notice the little joys of today.
 

3) Work Your passion
"I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that?" Soledad O'Brien
I could not say it better. There is nothing as fulfilling as knowing why you were created. It sets one on journey that is so fulfilling such that fear has no room to cripple you.  
 
4) Get out of Your comfort zone
Venture into heights you have never tried. Push yourself to go an extra mile. Your breakthrough could me a step away. Do not settle for 'just enough'. You might try something that you have never done or are afraid of. This gives you the boldness to conquer your fears.

I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that? Soledad O'Brien
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/s/soledadob648651.html

I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that? Soledad O'Brien
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_fear.html

I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that? Soledad O'Brien
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_fear.html

I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that? Soledad O'Brien
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_fear.html

LEAVE MOLDING TO THE POTTER.

 

When a potter sits down and starts making a vessel, he has an already predetermined purpose that it is to accomplish. He does not start molding and then hope it will be something worthy. He sits down and draws a blueprint on how to come up with a masterpiece. The potter is the only one who knows what he is molding and the vessel has no say about how it is being molded.

The sames goes to God and His purpose for every human being. The true meaning of a life and its purpose can only be quantified by its originator. Each and every one of us was made for a specific purpose. You were not just born, to live in this world for some years and then leave without a mark as if you never existed.

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

(Isaiah 43: 1)

God did not only create us but He is forming us just as a potter forms a vessel. He is the Potter and does what He wants with us so we might accomplish His purpose on the face of the earth. The problem is that we want to question God on everything He is doing in us or anything that is coming our way. We always forget that His ways are not our ways and even in the darkest times He is still in control.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”

(Jeremiah 1:5) 

 

Why not trust that He knows what He is doing and let Him do His work without your interference or contribution. You see, He doesn't need your opinion about His masterpiece. It would do you justice to move out of His way and let Him work in peace. How can a machine give an advice to the manufacturer? So, in the seasons when you feel hard pressed, be assured that you can not be crushed. His hands are firm yet gentle enough to mold you. Mostly we do not see His molding while going through it, but when we look back and see the masterpiece we have become, then we realize that the process was worth it. 

Happiness is a Choice.

“Those who are ‘beloved of the Lord’ must be the most happy and joyful people to be found anywhere upon the face of the earth.” 
(Charles Spurgeon)

Life is made of ups and downs and nothing is guaranteed. Our hope and expectation is that we will live our dreams and live them large. But, nothing is straight, and that’s what makes life so interesting. 

What if the conditions and circumstances in our life are contrary to our plans and expectations? What if our vision and dream is the exact opposite of the reality? You know, He is not only God on the mountains and in good times, but God in the valley and in the storms of life. 

The bottom line remains, 'what is the condition of our heart while in the valley or when our boat is tossed by the storms of life?' Well, it is easy to praise on the mountain tops, but what about while we are deep in the valley?

True happiness and joy radiates from inside. It is the content of the heart that will determine our happiness, and not necessary what we face on the outside. In our walk with God, we must strive for a clean and clear conscience without self condemnation. This will place our hearts at a position where we can engage our inner man and draw joy from within.

 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.   

(2 Corinthians 12:10)

We need to make a conscious decision not to be deterred by today's circumstances or be held back by past failures, nor wait for a better day, but learn to dance in the rain and praise in the valley. We must consistently remind ourselves that He is a promise keeper and no word from His mouth will return to Him void.