2021-03-20
Job 3:25 NKJV
Do you ever fantasize about solutions to problems you fear may or will come your way? Ironically, when you do, what started out as an unfounded fear can turn into a real problem because you expended energy on wasteful thinking instead of productive action.
Joe Tye, author of Never Fear, Never Quit, says: “Wishful thinking is the lock that fear puts on the prison gate. Fear lets you indulge yourself, for a while, in flights of wishful thinking. Somehow, you think, something will happen to make the problems go away. By the time you wake up, it’s too late. What you feared has happened, and fear has defeated you. The only way to escape from the prison of fear is action. You cannot wish your way out, you cannot wait your way out. You can only work your way out. Every time you escape the prison of fear, you grow stronger” (emphasis mine).
Fear has no benefits and no upside. It either pushes you in the wrong direction by producing nervous energy that causes you to do your worst in new situations, or it saps your energy as you fight its paralyzing effects.
Psychologist Randall B. Hamrock observed: “In twenty years [of practice] I’ve talked with, tested, and given vocational counsel to at least 10,000 young men and women. One characteristic that almost all had was the tendency to sell themselves short.” Don’t let fear rob you of your potential. Don’t let it make you smaller than you really are. Believe God for great things, then step out and attempt to do them in His strength. If you do, you’ll succeed. Guaranteed.
Soul food: Job 24-28; Matt 24:26-35; Ps 13; Prov 8:14-16
2021-03-19
Psalm 27:1 NLV
‘n Ou gesegde lui: ‘Vrees maak die wolf groter as wat hy is.’ Dit oordryf die probleem en gevolglik bestee jy waardevolle energie op onnodige emosies. Jy vermy soms byvoorbeeld dinge wat jou glad nie skade kan aandoen nie. Soos die man wat met krapmerke en kneusplekke na ‘n staptog by sy vakansiehuis aangekom het. ‘Wat het gebeur?’ het sy vrou gevra. ‘Ek het in ‘n slang op die voetpaadjie vasgeloop,’ het hy geantwoord. ‘Onthou jy dan nie,’ het sy vrou gesê,’ die toergids het ons gister gesê dat die slange hier rond nie giftig is nie?’ Haar man het geantwoord: ‘Hulle hoef nie giftig te wees as hulle jou by ‘n ses meter krans kan laat afspring nie!’ Duidelik was hierdie man se vrees – nie die slang nie – die probleem.
Charles Spurgeon het een maal gesê: ‘Angs neem nie die droewighede van môre weg nie, maar wel vandag se krag.’ Solank as wat jy vrees toelaat om in die bestuursitplek te sit, sal jy nooit gaan waarheen God jou wil neem nie, of die talente wat Hy in jou geplaas het ontdek en ontwikkel nie. God sal jou egter help om die vrese wat jou beheer, te konfronteer en te oorwin.
Dawid, die skrywer van Psalms en Israel se geliefde koning, het gereeld homself met sy rug teen die muur bevind. Tydens een so ‘n geleentheid het hy geskryf: ‘…Kom tog gou om my te help, Here, my redder’ (Psalm 38:22 NLV). ‘Asseblief, Here, red my tog! Kom gou, Here, en help my!’ (Psalm 40:14 NLV). Dawid het geweet na wie toe om te draai: ‘Die Here is my lig en my redding. Vir wie moet ek dan vrees?..’ Wanneer God jou bron van krag is, kan jy jou ergste vrese in die gesig staar en hulle oorkom.
Sielskos: Job 21-23; Matt 24:15-25; Ps 116:12-19; Spr 8:10-13
Psalm 27:1 NKJV
Relationships. Social anxiety is a very common fear, and it can have an impact on our relationships with others, whether that’s relationships with family, friends, work colleagues, or even just a random interaction with someone we don’t know. We can worry about what other people think about us, we worry about doing something stupid, or what others might say to us or about us. Our fears of being hurt or humiliated can lead us to avoid other people and distance ourselves.
But God designed us to be part of a community, where we can draw on the love and support of others: ‘Let us not neglect our meeting together…but encourage one another’ (Hebrews 10:25 NLT). When the fear of other people’s opinions means we try to be something we’re not, we reject what God created us to be. If we find we’re having to pretend in order to fit in with a group of people or to maintain a friendship, it’s probably worth asking God if we’re surrounding ourselves with the right people. Proverbs 29:25 says: ‘Being afraid of people can get you into trouble, but if you trust the LORD, you will be safe’ (NCV).
Our worth isn’t based on what other people think of us, it’s based on what God thinks of us – and He loves us unconditionally. We need to hold on to that fact whenever we feel social anxiety building. Let’s choose to rely on God’s opinion and God’s love before anyone else’s, and join in with the psalmist’s words: ‘The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?’ (Psalm 27:1 NKJV).
Job 21-23; Matt 24:15-25; Ps 116:12-19; Prov 8:10-13
Psalm 27:1 NKJV
An old adage says, “Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.” It exaggerates the problem, and as a result, you expend valuable energy in ways you shouldn’t. For example, sometimes you avoid things that can’t really harm you at all. Like the man who returned to his vacation cabin from a hike, badly scratched and bruised. “What happened?” his wife asked. “I met a snake on the trail,” he answered. “Don’t you remember,” his wife responded, “the park ranger told us yesterday that none of the snakes up here are poisonous?” Her husband replied, “They don’t have to be poisonous if they can make you jump off a twenty- foot cliff!” Clearly the man’s fear – not the snake – was the problem.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but…today of its strengths.” As long as you allow fear to take the wheel, you’ll never go where God wants to take you, or discover and develop the talents He has placed within you. And here’s the great thing: God will help you to confront and conquer the fears that are controlling you.
David the giant slayer, author of Psalms and Israel’s beloved king, often found himself with his back to the wall. Writing about such an occasion he said, “Make haste to help me…Lord” (Psalm 38:22 NKJV). “Be pleased…to deliver me” (Psalm 40:13 NKJV). But David knew who to turn to: “The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” When God is the source of your strength, you can face your worst fears and overcome them.
Soul food: Job 21-23; Matt 24:15-25; Ps 116:12-19; Prov 8:10-13
2021-03-18
Josua 3:13 ABA
Om die Beloofde Land binne te gaan, moes die Israeliete die Jordaanrivier, wat in vloed was, oorsteek. Was hulle bang? Sou jy nie ook gewees het nie? Nietemin, die enigste manier om hulle bestemming te bereik was om die presiese aksie te neem wat hulle gevrees het!
Wanneer jy vrees ‘n houvas gee, word jy meer vol vrees en skep jy op die ou einde ‘n aftakelende siklus wat as volg werk: Vrees veroorsaak ‘n gebrek aan aksie. ‘n Gebrek aan aksie veroorsaak ‘n gebrek aan ervaring. ‘n Gebrek aan ervaring veroorsaak onkunde. En onkunde veroorsaak vrees. Dit maak jou bang om die presiese aksie te neem wat vir jou tot voordeel sal wees. Om aksie te neem beteken dat jy in die onbekende en onbeproefde moet inbeweeg – wat vreesaanjaend kan wees.
As jy egter tot jou vrese toegee, sal jy nie vorentoe beweeg nie. Jy sal nie die voordeel van dit wat jy vermy, sowel as die ervaring wat jou lewe sal verbeter, ontvang nie. Gevolglik bly jy onkundig oor daardie area van die lewe en onkunde kweek altyd meer vrees, wat dit soveel moeiliker maak om deur te druk en dinge gedoen te kry.
Harry Truman het opgemerk: ‘Die grootste gevaar waar voor ons te staan kom, is om deur vertwyfelinge en vrese verlam te word. Hierdie gevaar word meegebring deur diegene wat geloof agterlaat en hoop minag, deur diegene wat sinisme versprei en ons probeer verblind vir ons groot kans om goed vir die mensdom te doen.’
Iemand het gesê dat vrees die donkerkamer is waar al ons negatiewe ontwikkel word. Dis rente wat jy vooruit op ‘n bedrag betaal wat jy dalk nooit mag skuld nie. Dit ondermyn ook geloof – in jouself, in ander mense en in God.
Sielskos: Job 18-20; Matt 24:1-14; Ps 116:1-11; Spr 8:8-9
