This is my second guest post in a series of posts on My Daily Walk in His Grace by the young people in my life. Tamsyn is my eldest daughter and I am very proud of her. She tutors autistic children, has a passion for the creative things in life and a sense of humour that'll have you howling with laughter!. It makes my heart glad when I see her paintings or hear her play guitar or when I barge into her room and she's having a quiet time.
Herewith, her post:
Fear; dictionary defined as: "A distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain - whether the threat is real or imagined; concern, anxiety, solicitude."
I fear. You fear. We all fear.
But God doesn't want us to fear.
What if I audition for the part but they reject me?
What if I'm not as beautiful as the other women?
What if people find out I have to study this on a bursary?
What if nobody agrees with what I am writing about?
I'd love for you to leave your comments for Tamsyn here!
God bless
Tracy
Fear is debilitating. Fear can take a strong, confident and talented person and cripple them. The thing is, we don't even have to fear.
Yes, God's promises are immense, but they're difficult to obtain when we fear people, when we are too afraid to step up and claim the things God has set aside for us, when we are too afraid to trust and just follow. Fear prevents us from growing and being happy. Fear prevents us from walking with God and living in the fullness of his promises.
Psalm 34 vs 4 says: I prayed to the Lord and He answered me. He freed me of all my fears.
God alone has the power to release us from the fear that keeps us from Him. We must learn to rely on the strength of God, walking in faith, refusing to fear.
Deuteronomy 1 vs 17 says: you shall NOT BE AFRAID in any man's presence for the judgement is God's.
A couple verses later, Deuteronomy 1 vs 21 says: Look, the Lord your God has set the land before you; GO UP and POSSESS IT, as the Lord God of your fathers has spoken to you; DO NOT FEAR or be discouraged.
Later God speaks of Caleb in Deuteronomy 1 vs 36 saying: he shall see it, and to him and his children I am giving the land on which he walked, because he WHOLLY FOLLOWED THE LORD.
Yes, God's promises are immense, but they're difficult to obtain when we fear people, when we are too afraid to step up and claim the things God has set aside for us, when we are too afraid to trust and just follow. Fear prevents us from growing and being happy. Fear prevents us from walking with God and living in the fullness of his promises.
Psalm 34 vs 4 says: I prayed to the Lord and He answered me. He freed me of all my fears.
God alone has the power to release us from the fear that keeps us from Him. We must learn to rely on the strength of God, walking in faith, refusing to fear.
I'd love for you to leave your comments for Tamsyn here!
God bless
Tracy
That is a just what I needed to read tonight Tamsyn. At times I am too afraid to just step up and claim what GOD has set aside for me and just like you said...then I am not happy. This post is great encouragement to let GOD take away the fear!
ReplyDeleteThank you for posting and God bless...Chelle
I am so glad it was something you needed to hear - awesome encouragement for me, too. But God always sees that we hear what we need to in some way or another :)
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn :)
Way to go Tamsyn!
ReplyDeleteI love her sense of humour too, those quips and one liners are fun-tastic! and the way she makes fun of old people, people who may or may not be older than her mother even.
AUNTY Stefanie :P
DeleteThank you :)
Super appropriate-
ReplyDeleteI think that fear and faith are linked. I read last night in a quite time on Isaiah 40 that faith in Gods hand will stop all fear. Where faith is fear cannot be present, like a light in a dark room.
Thanks so much Tam, I take this as a confirmation that I should trust God in my situation and not fear anything!
God bless, Anon M
That makes a lot of sense.
Delete2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
:) Thank you Michael
Tammin
Great post Tamsyn, I can tell the gift to encourage others is yours too!
ReplyDeleteThank you! That in itself is encouraging :)
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn :)
"Fear prevents us from walking with God and living in the fullness of his promises."
ReplyDeleteLove this, Tamsyn! It's true. A lot of times we don't do things because we are afraid-- maybe afraid of looking stupid. But, what difference does it make when you are doing it for God? :)
Exactly. Fear isn't of God. It's what hinders us from Him and His will and plans for us :) But luckily God takes it all from us if we let him :)
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn
The "what if" questions paralyze us. We have to focus on His truth and rely on His strength.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what fear does: paralyzes. But thankfully God is there to take all that from us :)
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn
Hi Tamsyn, your post goes along perfect with what I have been reading in Joyce Meyer's book, Power Thoughts. I know all to well how fear can be immobilizing. Great job.
ReplyDeleteThank you :)
DeleteI'm glad it was able to link in with your book and I hope it encourages you along the way :)
God Bless
Tamsyn
Welcome Tamsyn! Great post. Fear is so crippling. But we don't have to be crippled, we can trust in God!
ReplyDeleteThank you! :)
DeleteYip, He'll always be there - we just have to LET Him be there.
God Bless
Tamsyn
Such wise words! Good things to think on and put to practice - for all of us, no matter our age. Thanks for sharing. (Linking up after you at Brag on God Friday)
ReplyDeleteThank you! :) Yes, unfortunately fear afflicts everyone - irrespective of age - but God works the same, too. No matter who we are or how old we are we face fear but God will always take it.
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn :)
I wish I knew all of this when I was a teenager. How much richer would my life have been? But, I'm thankful that He redeems all things!
ReplyDeleteMaybe if you had known this when you were a teenager you wouldn't have learnt other important lessons :) So far, this has been my one, and I hope I can encourage others through what God has done for me :)
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn
The Bible has many admonitions to FEAR NOT. We like to ask WHY and wonder what if this or that. I like the verse you used, And He delivered me out of ALL my fears.
ReplyDeleteFear is fear and none of it is from God, so when we ask Him to take them from us, He takes them all :)
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn
So true! Fear can be crippling, and it can sneak up on us when we're not staying close to God and spending time in His Word!
ReplyDeleteFear isn't of God, so I think the more we immerse ourselves in Him, the less space we leave open in our lives for fear to, as you say, sneak in :)
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn
What an incredible blessing to read such inspired words. Amazing gift of encouragement. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much :) honoured that God could use me to tell others what He has done for me :)
DeleteGod Bless
Tamsyn
Tamsyn, what an inspirational post of God's promises! It seems that deep down all of us are either now, or have been, afraid. We cannot allow fear to become our ruler, because we are told to walk by faith, not by fear. We can’t submit to fear…but to the Lord! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing to read your post; so glad your Mother shared. It's obvious that you will continue in her path to encourage and inspire others! :)
Blessings and hugs,
Denise
Thank you very much :) I believe that, too. That unless we submit to fear, it cannot take any hold of us - fear isn't of God, He takes it from us :)
DeleteYes, I hope I will continue in that path :)
God Bless
Tamsyn
Sorry I am just now making it here to read this powerful post you linked up Friday....and yet, in God's timing, I am here "right on time".
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, Tamsyn. Fear keeps us from enjoying, partaking in, and claiming all that God has provided for us. It kept me paralyzed for years, but PRAISE GOD, I am not who I used to be. SO thankful you have learned this truth at such a young age.
Thank you for sharing your heart.
~Stacy