Moments

Moment of Fear You may be wondering; why jump right into such a dark moment? There is validity for this. Fear is the most universal emotion that every living being has and or will experience in this life. It is an emotion that if not properly managed will dictate how we live every moment on earth. Fear and faith are opposites, like darkness and light, the two cannot co-exist. To fear something and or someone is a sign of unbelief. To face fearful situations is a normal part of life; however, unbeknownst to many we do not have to yield to fear! Why? When you have accepted the great I AM; creator of heaven and earth, when situations present themselves with fear as a companion, we can reject fear and embrace faith, it’s a choice. I have, in the past, present and certain to face fearful situations in the future! I must be honest and fully transparent; I have failed many of the fear tests. Case and point, my mother was diagnosed with stage 3b lung cancer; an inoperable tumor behind her right lung. I initially chose to reject the fear of watching her go through a painful situation with a high propensity to die at the hand of this horrible disease. Therefore, I stood by her side during her very aggressive treatment plan speaking faith. As days went by and she completed the treatment plan and seemed to be on the road to recovery and back to her energetic self, another opportunity presented itself to fear. Three months after having completed her treatment; she was scheduled for a CAT scan to confirm how the treatment had impacted the tumor. I arrived at the doctor’s office with her, speaking faith talk all the way to the doctor’s office, until the doctor appeared in the room and spoke these words “the treatment did accomplish what we had hoped, the tumor has shrunken significantly; however, the CAT scan now shows multiple nodules in both lungs this is now what we call stage 4 lung cancer.” Silence…. My mother, who was sitting in a chair up against the wall, appeared nonchalant as if he had not spoken a word, she said nothing, and neither did her expression change. I on the other hand started to cry, my mother, as we my sisters and I so affectionately call her by her first name “Dorothy” looked at me and said, “I should have left you at home!” Shortly after Dorothy spoke those words to me, the nurse enters the room to collect information from my mother for a special blood test and seems obviously confused as to which one of us she should be addressing. Finally, the nurse musters up the courage and asked, “now which one of you is the patient?” We all burst into laughter. Here I am, sitting here healthy, absent of a diagnosis with my mother who has been terminally diagnosed and I am not only hugging fear gently but embracing and holding onto to fear for dear life! I quickly remind myself of my faith and said within “Lord help me to believe and to not only talk the talk but to walk the walk!” My mother a non-believer at this point and time took this news regarding her health condition like a champ. We had talked earlier about going to breakfast after the doctor visit before we heard the news. After we heard the news, received orders from the physician and prepared ourselves to leave I asked my mother if she was still interested in going to eat and she replied, “heck yes I am so hungry!” and so we did. Days passed, and days will come when fear regarding this very situation that we were faced with concerning my mother will present itself again. I being a believer need to walk the talk, stand tall in the face of fear and say to fear “I believe!” I must stand in faith no matter what, I must believe even if Dorothy, my mom passes on due to this illness, I must have faith in God and believe 1) it was her time, 2) it was God’s will and 3) for her soul salvation. When we put things into perspective there really is no need to fear. While my example may be perceived as extreme in nature it is a reality for millions. If in a life and death situation we can believe vs. fear, then certainly everything and or anything else that presents itself is small in comparison. My challenge to you, the reader is to reject fear; have faith knowing and believing that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose Romans 8:28. A Poem Pause I TOLD FEAR I told fear, you are not welcome in this place. Do you think fear left in haste? No, it stood firm and bold, in my face. I told fear, you are not to enter my heart. Do you think fear fell apart? No, it stood firm and bold, in my face. I told fear, I refuse to give in. Do you think fear dissipated and replied, okay, “you win!” No, it stood firm and bold in my face, trying to take hold, trying to convince me that it’s in control. What shall I do? and how should I respond to you? A voice spoke loud and clear, you my dear should never fear, you have what it takes to overcome, you have the power to make fear run. The Lord gave his life, for you to live, he already has promised that he will forgive, but our duty is to repent and learn, standing firm in his word and speaking it at every turn. Do you have to fear? The answer is no. But building your faith is the key to letting go. Fear not my child, for I am with you always, stand firm and believe for all your days. Fear Memento Fear is unbelief in disguise. Reflection Moment Take a moment, sit quietly and still, listen to the voice of the Lord and take note of what he is speaking to you right now regarding “Fear.” Reflect on past moments, how you responded and what you can do differently going forward. Reflection starters Has there been a time in my life when I allowed fear to control not only my thoughts but my actions? When fear presents itself do I reflect on God’s word and speak to the situation or do I panic and allow fear to dictate my beliefs of what the outcome will be? Scripture Moment “So, you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7