By Lysa TerKeurst
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
Last week my sister called to tell me that she’d gotten an urgent call from the school nurse. The bad news - her son had gotten choked on a piece of apple. The great news- the nurse was able to successfully do the Heimlich maneuver and he was going to be fine.
I must admit, instantly when I heard the word “choked” my heart seized and my pulse started to race. Even when I heard that my nephew was going to be fine, it still took my heart a while to calm down. You see, I know sometimes these stories don’t end with, “and he’s going to be fine.”
When I was 18 years old, my baby sister tragically died after having surgery. Before the surgery, everyone thought she would be fine. Even the doctors were shocked by what happened.
Do you ever fear something happening to one of your children? For most moms, this is their greatest fear. You see your teenage son drive away from your home and fear grabs your heart. You hear of another child getting diagnosed with cancer and you start asking the “what if” questions. You watch the news reports on a child that has been abducted and you hold yours just a little tighter that night. You know that children die every day from drowning, accidents, and choking and it can make you feel helpless and overly controlling all at the same time.
Having 5 children, I know these fears well. I know their paralyzing affects. I know how it can make you want to just tuck your kids under your wing and never let them leave your side. But I also know that this is not how God wants us to handle our fears. And I know it would not be healthy for my kids to never be able to spread their own wings and fly.
So, I pray. I read God’s truths. I verbalize my trust in Him. And I make the choice to walk in assurance.
In tomorrow’s devotion I’ll expand on each of these steps.
For now, think on that key verse from 2 Timothy 1:7. God does not want us to be held captive by a spirit of debilitating fear. We must believe that with God we have the power to deal with anything life brings our way. We must cling to the reality that God loves us and He loves those that we love. God is a merciful God who keeps our best interest in mind. We can put our runaway minds at ease when we are grounded in God’s truths. The more truth we fill our minds with, the more sound our minds become. Then we can make wise decisions where our kids are concerned not from a worrisome place of fear but rather a wise mindset of complete trust in God.
Dear Lord, help me know You are good even when circumstances are not. Help my unbelief. Help me to make the choice to live fully trusting You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Visit Lysa’s Blog today for more on how to handle our fears
Order Lysa’s CD message on this topic, “Fear-LESS, Thank-FULL.”
Who Holds the Key to Your Heart by Lysa TerKeurst
Application Steps:
List your greatest fear(s).
How has fearing that affected your choices and behaviors?
Reflections:
How you would you live differently if you were able to fully release thatfear to God?
Power Verses:
1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (NIV)
1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (NIV)
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (KJV)
Last week my sister called to tell me that she’d gotten an urgent call from the school nurse. The bad news - her son had gotten choked on a piece of apple. The great news- the nurse was able to successfully do the Heimlich maneuver and he was going to be fine.
I must admit, instantly when I heard the word “choked” my heart seized and my pulse started to race. Even when I heard that my nephew was going to be fine, it still took my heart a while to calm down. You see, I know sometimes these stories don’t end with, “and he’s going to be fine.”
When I was 18 years old, my baby sister tragically died after having surgery. Before the surgery, everyone thought she would be fine. Even the doctors were shocked by what happened.
Do you ever fear something happening to one of your children? For most moms, this is their greatest fear. You see your teenage son drive away from your home and fear grabs your heart. You hear of another child getting diagnosed with cancer and you start asking the “what if” questions. You watch the news reports on a child that has been abducted and you hold yours just a little tighter that night. You know that children die every day from drowning, accidents, and choking and it can make you feel helpless and overly controlling all at the same time.
Having 5 children, I know these fears well. I know their paralyzing affects. I know how it can make you want to just tuck your kids under your wing and never let them leave your side. But I also know that this is not how God wants us to handle our fears. And I know it would not be healthy for my kids to never be able to spread their own wings and fly.
So, I pray. I read God’s truths. I verbalize my trust in Him. And I make the choice to walk in assurance.
In tomorrow’s devotion I’ll expand on each of these steps.
For now, think on that key verse from 2 Timothy 1:7. God does not want us to be held captive by a spirit of debilitating fear. We must believe that with God we have the power to deal with anything life brings our way. We must cling to the reality that God loves us and He loves those that we love. God is a merciful God who keeps our best interest in mind. We can put our runaway minds at ease when we are grounded in God’s truths. The more truth we fill our minds with, the more sound our minds become. Then we can make wise decisions where our kids are concerned not from a worrisome place of fear but rather a wise mindset of complete trust in God.
Dear Lord, help me know You are good even when circumstances are not. Help my unbelief. Help me to make the choice to live fully trusting You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Related Resources:
Visit Lysa’s Blog today for more on how to handle our fears
Order Lysa’s CD message on this topic, “Fear-LESS, Thank-FULL.”
Who Holds the Key to Your Heart by Lysa TerKeurst
Application Steps:
List your greatest fear(s).
How has fearing that affected your choices and behaviors?
Reflections:
How you would you live differently if you were able to fully release thatfear to God?
Power Verses:
1 Peter 5:7, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” (NIV)
1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (NIV)
5 Comments:
One of my children was diagnosed with a brain tumor before he was a year old. The mass was the size of a baseball!!! One of the lessons I learned from that (wonderful) experience was that Jesus really DOES give us that 'peace that passes understanding.' He is so good and faithful. Now, when we go back for MRI's, I remind myself that my son belongs to the Lord - and no matter the outcome, I know He'll give me that peace and He'll be there by my side.
As I was pulling up this devotion on the computer, I was thinking that I wasn't sure if my husband was dealing with something with our daughter correctly, because "he just isn't worried about it as much as I am." When the verse came up and I read "God did not give us a spirit of fear", I felt God's gentle prodding. I knew that worry was a synonym for fear.
We are going through some significant heart issues with our teenager. I am continually thinking about the things I should have done differently, and worrying (fearing) about what she may be thinking or doing. I, too, have to remind myself that she belongs to the Lord, and that He loves her. I have been dealing with the issue of what it looks like to truly give it up to God. Thank you so much for today's devotion and the encouragement you give me daily!
I know your message is talking about our children, but this hit home for me more for my husband. My husband is in the military and I've been so afraid of him not coming home whenever he has to go wherever the military needs him. As our continue in our marriage, I'm finding it's not always easy to rest in the Lord because I keep taking my burden back instead of leaving it at the throne. Thank you for the encouragement. The verse can be applied in more ways than one. Thank you!
I am a fearful person. My mother was controlled by fear and I am afraid that I have been too. However, as I grow in the Lord, fear recedes. I praise you and thank you for that, O my Father.
I am a worrier I guess by habit.a Few months ago the devile could'nt get to me by any other way so he attacked my mind with fear. I woke up in the middle of the night shaking with fear it was "THE SPIRIT OF FEAR" I qouted that scripture from 2 Tim. while i walked through my home. All it takes is hiding the word of God in your heart to it can be our sword and sheild in the time of battle.
Thanks for the devotione
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