Welcome to
TomDawes.Com
a Tom & Julie Dawes website -
The Father, The Lord Jesus Christ & and The Holy Spirit -
MY BATTLE WITH FEARS
By Julie A. Dawes
I must have really tried my parents' patience with all my childhood fears -
We lived in an old house, and I remember calling for my Mom at the slightest noise. Mom or Dad would sit on my bed until they could identify the noise for me. It was usually mice in the walls, branches scraping on the roof, or my brothers trying to scare me again.
Shadows were pretty scary, so I would need the hall light on until I fell asleep. If I awoke during the night, I would have to find one of our many cats to purr me back to sleep.
I became less afraid of noises as I grew older, but internal fears took their place. I love my brothers dearly, but I resent their talent at telling ghost stories! Between them and suspenseful movies on television, it was amazing what I could picture in my mind of creatures lurking in the dark.
I was afraid of 'things' hiding in the attic, cellar, and under the stairs, or of what might jump out of the chest freezer or trees at night.
At the risk of being laughed at, I'll share with you that I was in my twenties before I stopped leaping from the bedroom door onto my bed for fear of what might be lurking underneath it.
It would seem that I was afraid most of the time of most anything!
It wasn't until I started identifying noises for my own children that I realized how silly my fears were.
Considering that my life was never in danger, I put a lot of wasted energy into thinking it was!
Upon putting those fears behind me, I began to develop new ones -
I feared being an incompetent mother when it came to dealing with life's trials and pains. I feared making wrong decisions where they were concerned. I feared that I was doing too much for them and not allowing them to have their independence. Then I feared I was doing too little.
I spent quite some time in this mode before I realized my fears seemed to have no end. So what did I do next? I began to fear that I was going to spend my entire life fearing something!
Somehow, this had to stop, and I couldn't seem to do it!
When I let God take an active part in my life, I realized that this was something He had to do for me. I learned through His Word that "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." (I Corinthians 14:33), and that fear comes only from Satan.
God also showed me through His Word that "The fear of man brings a snare: but whoso puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe." (Proverbs 29:25)
If I should find myself wallowing in the darkness of fear, I need only to focus on the Light, Jesus Christ. He will guide and protect me. He will fight my battles so long as I trust in Him.
There are times when I still have worries and concerns, but now they are more balanced and not met with fear and dread.
God helps in those times of worry also when he brings to my mind this verse: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)
For the most part, God has released me from my bondage of fear. His truth has set me free, and in this area, I am free indeed!
"For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power,
and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7)