Dusty Wells: Living in a time of Fear

What a crazy, wacky, scary, difficult time we are all walking in right now.  Fear is raging fiercely, and striving to control and bring everyone of us down.

No matter how strong and secure we are in the Lord, we are all dealing with it…walking in it and facing it. Anyone who won’t admit it, well that is just simply called denial.

Let me assure you, denial has been an awkward friend of mine numerous times on my journey, but I try really hard to put him in a closet and not let him out. There is such freedom in that. Try it…

I will speak for myself, share my heart and all that I am feeling, and maybe it will help someone along the way.

However, it could just be a reminder to me, once again, of His faithfulness, His goodness, His mercy, His strength, and His hope, through my own fear.

I have been fearful and anxious with all that is around us. I have had many talk, and lots of questioning with God lately. I am so glad He just listens to me and then He speaks. He knows I just have to talk and get it all out. He knows all about us, so we might as well give it all to Him and speak it out.

The Word of God is full of powerful and hopeful scriptures that many of us have stood upon and quoted often. We’ve held them close. We’ve believed them, doubted them, shared them with others who were struggling, and then there were times we’ve even done our best to strive to believe them for ourselves in our darkest places.

Scriptures like… “He will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged,” Deuteronomy 31:8.  Or ,1 John 4:18, “Perfect love casts out all fear.”  Then one of my all time favorites that I have held onto and today I am holding onto it even tighter: Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

While sitting here with my coffee, thinking about all of this, and typing these words out, I am so overwhelmed by the truth of “fear is a liar.” Our daddy, Jesus, doesn’t want us to live in fear and doubt. He honestly doesn’t. He wants us to trust Him, believe Him and hold onto Him even closer in these fearful times.

He assures us daily that He is with us always and constantly there for us. And you know what? It doesn’t matter where we’ve been, or what we’ve done, or if we have allowed fear to constantly rule over us. None of that changes His precious love, care and concern for us.

He wants to wrap us up in His arms, rid us of the fear that cripples us, and causes us to live in such a negative defeated way.

I lived in fear, doubt, and worry for years, and as I wrote earlier, I still have those moments and I find myself beginning to question it all…but then somehow, I have learned to grab ahold of myself and shake it off.

I look up to Him and declare, “Okay God, help me to get this fear behind me.” And guess what? It works.

The more I identify it, deal with it, take a long look at it and see it for what it is, the more I can try to overcome it with His help. It’s not easy at times, but the more I take a stand and deal with it, the less it controls my life and walk.

So, my challenge to all of us (yup, and my challenge to me, too), is simply this: Take a long look at all that is taking place and ask yourself the question, “How can I become more of who He wants me to be if fear is my friend?”  Or, ask yourself, “What does fear do for me when I allow it to control me, my life and all around me?” I think you can answer these questions…

Fear is a liar. Plain and simple. You,

my friends, are so loved, so valuable, and He truly will never leave you nor forsake you. He’s got us. He’s got it all in control. Trust in HIM!