Are worry, anxiety, and fear the same thing? I’ve never been a worrier, and hardly ever identify myself as anxious. But I’ve been afraid my whole life.
I’m afraid of failure.
I’m afraid of abandonment.
I’m super afraid of rejection.
I’m so afraid of embarrassment I don’t enjoy movies or shows with embarrassing characters (See also: I’ve never watched a full episode of The Office.)
I’m afraid of making wrong decisions, of being misunderstood, of doing the wrong thing, of not being enough, of being too much.
My life, my decisions, my relationships, my ministry, have all been shaped by fear.
But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator… “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior…” (Isaiah 43:1-3a)
I am a slow learner, but little by little I’ve tried to move into a life shaped by redemption rather than a life shaped by fear.
The God of my soul calls me out of my fear. He calls me by name and He names me His.
God does not promise I’ll never fail or experience abandonment, rejection or embarrassment. Life in this fallen, hurting world will likely include bad decisions, misunderstandings, and getting it wrong. I am going to be too much for some people, and not enough for many others.
God does not promise me a life free from the things I fear. He promises something better: His presence, His companionship, even if (when) I walk through the things I fear.
I am His, and He is with me.
“You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, So that you may know and believe Me And understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, And there will be none after Me.
“I, even I, am the Lord, And there is no savior besides Me. It is I who have declared and saved and proclaimed, And there was no strange god among you; So you are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “And I am God.” (Isaiah 43:11-13)
This post is the latest in the NO FEAR Devotional Series. Check back every Tuesday, and read the previous posts in the series here.
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Renee Davis Meyer 
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