The Story of Conquering Fear

I have written this story before. It has many settings and involves different characters, but the tale is the same. It is the one where the girl that supposedly loves God, trusts Him with everything, and knows that none of this matters in 100 years anyway, takes on full-fledged, nothing-else-is-important, obsessive worry and fear.

The heroine always fights the demons at night that steal her peace and, like the sleep she so desires, allude her. In one chapter, it may be the teen on the verge of adulthood trying to figure out how to study and make it through college while working three jobs just to pay for school and the other pesty needs in life; like a roof over your head or something besides potatos for dinner.

A common theme of fear through various seasons of life is the thread of career concern. Will I get that promotion? Can I do the job? If I do, will they let me try marketing even though I have a finance degree? Can I run the division even though I am not sure I can run my life?

Books always have a climax. That pivotal scene where nothing can get worse and nothing can get better, sandwiched around a life-altering transformation. For me, I mean… the woman in the story, this came when my–her–carefully crafted life, built over years of hard work, a can-do attitude, and a will that fully believed in mind over matter, came crashing down.

It wasn’t the event that precipitated it all that was so shocking or life-altering. The event was my daughter losing all of her hair. The event, that is now her life, was not as life-ending as I once thought. Actually, in my case it was life-giving, as it was the pivot point of my trying to do life my way. Trying to be the one in control. Trying to face my biggest fears alone.

It was the climax because in the next breath, I found Christ.

I fell head-first fully into Christ in a series of events that would parallel any page-turning novel. At least it felt that way to me. Fear and worry were a constant companion where I worked harder and harder to stay ahead. I tried to conquer and slay this dragon over and over.

Now, facing a child I thought was deathly ill, a career shattering before me, and a weariness that I would later understand as full-fledged burnout, I gave it all up. I turned to Christ and let go. I said goodbye to “my way or no way.” I started turning to Him for my every next decision and next move. I unloaded on Him.

I was tired. Sick and tired of worry and fear.

But just like every novel, after the climax… there is still the rest of the story.

The Rest of The Story Still Contains The Sin of Worry and Fear

As a Christian I know that fear and worry are sins. That ultimately I am not in control…I have a lifetime that has proved it. I know in my head that worrying over the things in this life is truly a waste of my time, my emotional, physical, and spiritual health, and it impacts my relationships; specifically the one with my Savior.

Yet, even as a Christian, knowing what I know and having lived through so many scenes where Jesus saves the day, I still get pulled into the world of worry and forget the wisdom.

Now, instead of the two parts of my life being before Christ and after Christ… it is more like, “me trying to take control” or “me letting go because I never had any control.” The frustrating thing is that if we go deep into the Gospel, it really isn’t as easy as “giving it to God.” We don’t really even have the ability to give our worry away.

Our Part Is Limited To Seeking Christ

All we have the ability to do is to seek Him. To focus on His greatness and His goodness. As we move toward Him, into His loving arms, the fear and worry dissipate. It is only in His promises that we can let go of our fears. Only in knowing Him can we have hope for an eternity of tomorrows, where one day what plagues us in the present won’t matter.

We all have our own stories. Each of us, even today, have something we are worrying about or struggling to control. Our fear blinds us. It pulls us into this world and out of our Savior’s loving, powerful arms. Our stories are filled with hurt and betrayal that we fight against. Mixed with fleeting moments of earthly love and success that Satan tells us are our own doing. Our power.

If there is something right now keeping you up at night…
If you feel like you are in a constant fight with something in this world…
If the circumstances of life and the world we live in seem overwhelming…

…The Happy Ending Is In Him

Do the only thing that can give this story a happy ending. Turn to the Lord’s Book. Look at His story. Chapter after chapter of His creation, His power, His sacrifice, His goodness, His love for us. Let go of your story and become a part of His story. Become a child of Our God. Become part of His story of redemption.

It is in His story that the worry and fear have no power.
It is in His story that the tribulations of this world cannot win.
It is all His story.

When you look to the Bible, The Word of God, the story of all stories…

There you will find Him.