Sunday 08/27/2017

"…It is by faith you stand firm" 2 Corinthians 1:24

Last week, my general doctor referred me to a specialist, for a specific check up and blood test. I didn't think much of it, until I researched the place and the kind of test, I was supposed to have done. I freaked out instantly. I made the appointment, and then I spent the next two days in panic, trying to understand "Why", and going from, anger to crying spells. I was in a complete state of fear. As a Christian, I realized that I wasn't supposed to dwell in fear, but on the other hand, I felt completely paralyzed.

The voices of fear were very loud, very complex. They led me through a labyrinth of "What If's" and the more I tried to control the situation, the deeper I got sucked in. For two days I've completely lost ground. I tried to read God's Word, but the wall of fear was so dense. Just when I was about to conclude that nothing seem to help, I came across Hebrew 11:1, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see" ." And without faith it is impossible to please God" Hebrew 11:6.  

I understood that faith is my way out, from the web of fear. The opposite of love is not hate, but fear. Fear is one sure way to offend God. God tells us more than 300 times in the Bible, not to be afraid. Do I choose to put my faith in fear or in God? "Have you witnessed God's power in the past? Experienced His pardon? Enjoyed His presence? He, Who has carried you this far, isn't going to drop you now!" (The Red Sea Rules).

The journey back to faith took some practical steps for me:

-          I invested extra time in reading God's Word. I decide that every time fear tries to engage me, I would grab my phone or the Bible, and read the Word of God. I started to read again- The Red Sea Rules. The book is even more powerful, when you are indeed faced with a Red Sea situation. I am very grateful for all the tools we have, to connect quickly to God's Word either through web or an actual book.

-          I reached out to other people. They prayed for me, reminded me to trust, to know that God has a good plan for His children. With people outside the Church, it's not easy to be honest and vulnerable, but when we do it, we find comfort and we give each other permission to be human, to be real, and to know that we are not alone.  

-          I chose to keep on living, like nothing happen. My first tendency was to put everything on hold, until all these will pass. I sort of wanted to hide under a blanket, until the day of the appointment. Then I was reminded that, what is holding my attention the most, is what I'm truly worshiping. Do I gravitate around the problem or around God? With these in mind, I chose to go on with my commitments and even have fun.

When Pastor Scot invited us today, to set a goal for the next 30 days, my first response was a huge blank. Then I realized, that I actually do have a perfect goal: "Trust God, worry NOT". "It is by faith, you stand firm" 2 Corinthians 1:24