Fear

So, I'm wondering if God is trying to tell me something about fear. I recently subscribed to the Proverbs 31 Ministries daily devotions. Yesterday, the devotion dealt with fear and how Satan uses fear against us. Today, Focus on the Family was talking to Max Lucado about fear. Some fear is healthy, such as the fear of falling off a cliff...that fear will keep you away from the edge of the cliff so you don't fall (or will convince you to follow the rules/stay within the boundaries) so you don't fall. Unhealthy fear drives you to constantly worry about things around you. It also may keep you from accomplishing what God has prepared for you to do. It isn't a natural thing to want to give complete and utter control of your life to someone else, even to God. Fear of what God may ask you to do or where He may ask you to go if you give up yourself to him simply keeps you from accomplishing what He has planned for you.

The place I see fear coming into my life most prominently at the moment is in worship, with other believers. There are times when I am so overwhelmed by how much God loves me that I just want to raise my hands in worship to Him. It is a lie from Satan that tells me that everyone is going to be looking at me and wondering what I think I'm doing that puts just a little fear in me and keeps me from worshiping God with the abandon that I feel inside.

“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)