I wouldn’t do that if I were you. What if something bad happens? What if? How would you live with that kind of gut-wrenching pain? It’s WAY too risky. Someone could get hurt. You’ll look stupid. Make a fool of yourself. People just aren’t going to like you. Who do you think you are?
Lies!
Fear is deceptive. The feeling of fear is so uncomfortable, it begs us to turn around and run as far away from it as possible!
I’m not referring to healthy fear that serves to protect us from harm. Instead, it’s the kind that retreats from growth, that pulls in and steps backward.
Subconsciously, it forms habits and pathways of thinking that leave permanent imprints like stamps in concrete. We start telling ourselves lies and cement them into our way of living.
Are you listening to the lies of fear or the truth of faith?
Fear says you’ll be safer and happier if you avoid taking risks.
It wants you to bypass anything bringing apprehensive feelings to the surface. Protect yourself through avoidance.
Faith trusts in God’s sovereignty and control.
It believes nothing happens that’s not first filtered through the hands of a loving, all-powerful God. It holds onto the hope that when tragedy strikes, God is still there, still good, still loving and still taking care of you.
Faith recognizes that joy is unearthed in the personal and spiritual efforts found in the hard work of trading fear for faith.
Faith says,”I will be ok because I have Jesus.”
He is before all things and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:17)
For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. (Colossians 1:16)
Fear distorts reality by magnifying the level of actual danger a certain activity has.
Fear distorts reality.#tradingfearforfaith Share on X
In my pursuit to overcome my fear of driving on freeways, I decided to look up what percentage of the US population dies in car accidents each year. Every time I drive on freeways, it feels as if I am very likely to get in a car accident. According to statistics, I only have a 1% chance of dying while driving on the freeway. Only 1%! And yet I live as if I’m going to die every time I get on the onramp. My fear greatly distorted the amount of risk involved.
Faith chooses to believe truth and doesn’t allow feelings to control behavior. It uses a sound mind.
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 KJB)
Fear gives you a false sense of control.
When I decide not to drive to the out-of-town baby shower or go the birthday party that requires traveling on 3 unknown freeways, it feels like I’m controlling my own safety. It feels like I’m preventing something bad from happening. I feel a false sense of control. But in actuality, I’m being controlled by fear. I’m doubting God’s sovereignty that I’ll be ok, even if an accident happens. And I’m inhibiting the growth of relationships and connection to others in the process.
Faith understands there’s freedom in surrender–in opening my clenched fists and exposing the very fear that Jesus wants to remedy.
Fear doubts God’s love by focusing on the pain and sadness in difficult circumstances instead of the hope that’s found in Jesus.
When a child dies, a friend has a brain aneurysm, gets cancer, killed in a car accident — this is where I really get stuck. I begin to get lost in sorrow and I become afraid of living. Afraid because if that happened to me, I don’t even know how I’d be able to breathe. And what if I didn’t want to?
But Jesus always offers hope even in the most excruciating circumstances. Share on X And I’ve seen that hope when all hope should have been gone. And it’s real. That’s what we need to remember. What we have to grab hold of.
Hope is the anchor for the soul. And we need to grab onto it!
Faith takes hold of the hope found in Jesus when sorrow floods our heart. Share on X
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It entered the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. Hebrews 6:19
Fear says you’ll never be able to change.
You’re stuck in your ways. The cement has dried. It’s too late for you.
Faith believes that with Jesus, all things are possible!
Faith: Jesus looked at them and said,
With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God. Matthew 19:26
God loves you enough not to let you stay in darkness. And if you decide to trade your fear for faith, He’s not going to leave you alone.
You’re not forever stuck in concrete.
With Jesus, there is a way out. It may not be an easy way to freedom. There may be some chipping away at the raw places where fear’s roots have been planted.
But once the roots are loose, you will gradually be able to taste the freedom of fully trusting in God.
If you’ve been following this series, I’ve spent the first month trying to motivate you to want to take action. To make a choice to not let fear rule your life anymore! That’s because taking action can be scary and takes quite a bit of determination!
If you haven’t yet answered the questionnaire to help you recognize fear in your life, you can subscribe to the newsletter and get all the free Trading Fear For Faith Resources!
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What fear are you struggling with today? How can you let your faith be bigger than your fears?
Hello there! I'm Valerie, a mom of four and wife of 27 years. My writing inspires others to cultivate courageous faith and find solace in trusting God, especially in moments of fear and uncertainty. Join me on this adventure as we explore the beauty of trusting God when we are afraid. 
I am scared of the future of my Marriage, always wondering if I married the wrong person (if there is anything like that) what will happen, what if I don’t concive, what if I don’t develop Intimacy on another level with my husband, what if something separates us, it has held me hostage for almost 2 years, but, I am learning how to be free in the promise of God over my life and the future of my new family, knowing that he keeps his word. Thank you so much for this post.
It’s easy to allow our minds to dwell in the fear of the unknown future. But God doesn’t want us to borrow worries from tomorrow when today has enough trouble of its own. Someone recently told me that borrowing fear from the future is like taking a ticket on the train before you get to that destination. If those fears ever happen in our life, God will give us the ticket to help us through it then. Sometimes it helps me to think in terms of turning my “what-ifs” into “even-ifs.” Even if…God will be with me and help me through. Most of the time, what I worry about never even happens. I’m praying for you Ella. I know it’s a struggle and my heart goes out to you. Thank you for being transparent and sharing your heart here.
So are we to never be afraid. I can only take so many steps on my own because of money, no way to go, as in transportation, but not from the will and not from having faith. I’m not silly enough to believe that god will provide me a car or money all of a sudden. I am taking taking the first step, in my opinion, but I will still keep learning how to strengthen my faith and overcoming fear. What you are offering will help. Thank you.
I’m so glad this helped you. I’m so sorry you are going through some hard times. He will direct your path as you take those steps of faith.
The fear I’m struggling with today is that my anal cancer will come back
And how I can let my faith be bigger then my fears is to keep advocating for
this cancer and to trust with all my might that I will be ok, And to always remember it’s His will be done , not mine.
I’m so very sorry that you’ve had to go through cancer. I have a friend who had breast cancer and I know she too struggles with the fear that it will come back. I’m praying for your continued health and that God would give you peace and calm your thoughts when you start to feel anxious and worried. Thank you so much for sharing!
Hello, I have had many opportunities to fall into the trap of fear -divorce, prodigal child, health challenges to name a few. I praise God for his promise to never leave me or forsake me, that He is in control and that He is Jehovah Rapha my God who heals. He is full of grace. He has since blessed me with a wonderful husband, my child is being drawn back to the Lord and He has been my strength. We serve a mighty God!
Oh Dawn, thank you so much for sharing. I’m sure it must have been so hard going through a divorce and having health issues too. I’m so happy for you, that you have remarried and that God is guiding you and your family. God is so good and your comment a blessing to read. Isn’t it wonderful that God helps us through those times and gives us the strength to get through them? God bless you!
For more than a year now, I’ve been living with the fear that I and/or my family will implode… yes, there were problems before then but nothing could prepare me for everything we’ve been going through. Sometimes it feels as though we’ve been cursed… perhaps God’s been testing me? I’ve never, ever been shaken so hard, to the core. Every day I wake up hoping it was all just a bad dream. There are days when I try to remember God’s promises but other days, I seem to feel this need to wallow and feel the sadness or anger. Those days I end up feeling hopeless. The one thing that has kept me going, is God’s promise to give me “hope and a new future.” Reading the Bible and praying have definitely kept me from collapsing under this weight. Many times, reading blogs like yours have brought much needed encouragement; the words have seemed divinely appointed….please keep writing and encouraging moms like me. You have no idea how much you contribute to God’s work. Anyone out there who is willing, please say a prayer for a stranger like me. Pray that my family will find all of the help we need and that we can overcome this madness. Thank you!
Dear Olga,
Thank you for sharing your heart here. I’m so very sorry for the sadness and pain you are experiencing. I’ve been praying for you. I’m praying Psalm 73:26 that God would be the strength of your heart and your portion forever. No matter what happens, God will never leave you. On those days when you feel hopeless, pray Psalm 25:16 -21 over and over again out loud, even through tears. “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me. Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.”
Thank you for your word of encouragement to writers whose desire is to share the hope of the Lord through their own brokenness. Often times, the words we write feel like they aren’t being read–and your encouragement to keep on writing means more than you know. Praying for you!
I struggle with the fear of an unfaithful husband, promises and lies.
The way I can help myself is to have the faith and the knowledge that Jesus is always with me and He is the one I must allow to handle this and guide me to continue in prayer for Thu Will Be Done. Blessings for your sharing and supporting.
Thank you for sharing an honest fear that I know many wives struggle with. It can be so easy to get caught up in fear of the unknown, especially in regard to broken trust in marriage. Sometimes all we can do is lay the ashes of our brokenness before the Lord and pray for God to protect us and reveal truth and discernment and cling to trust, choosing to believe that Jesus loves us and will guide our future. Thank you for your transparency. I’m praying for you!
I look at fear as a door that has has been put on the path that I am on. Satan uses this door (fear) to stop me or sidetrack me from going through this doorway that could possibly be the greatest blessing of my life.
What a great word picture Laura. It’s so true! Satan wants our fear to stop us from walking through the door that could lead to so much blessing. Thank you for sharing!
My theme for the year is my FAITH is bigger than my fear. I have been putting my trust in God, and I have experienced a lot more calm than I should given my circumstances right now. One of the fears that I struggle with is that since I only have just enough money to get through the month, that something will happen before month end that I cannot afford. I am however trusting in God that He will not let that happen, and if it should, that He will provide for us. I feel like there is so much coming against me and my family, but I need to keep my faith and trust in God and not to let it deter me from my hope in Him.
What a great theme to have. I’m so sorry that money is tight for you. I love that you have felt calm despite your circumstances. What a great testimony of letting your faith be bigger than your fears. I pray that God would provide for your needs and continue to give you a calm heart. Thank you so much for sharing your heart.
I struggle with fear of having significance in God’s kingdom. How He will use me. What my purpose / calling is. I daily have to remind myself that I AM a child of the King and He does indeed have a purpose for me and there ARE people that He will use me to impact for Him.
Thank you for sharing Rhonda. I’ve struggled with that fear too, especially when I compare myself to others who are making a big impact. But I love how God uses everyone. I went to a conference this weekend and the speaker said, “God has a great story to write about you and part of that story is you telling yours.” Tosca Lee I also love how God used Moses even when he felt inadequate and doubted his ability.
I struggle with fears regarding the future of our country and what it means for my kids. I know it’s in God’s hands and it really helps to pray when those fears start to overwhelm me. It’s a day by day thing.
Thanks for sharing Dawn. Yes, it can be scary looking at the state of our country and all the conflict that is happening. I agree, praying and remembering that God is sovereign over it all helps to calm those fears.
There is a new song that just came out by mercy me & when I heard it I just said Thank you Lord for your timing is Always perfect. I will share part of the lyrics & encourage you to take a listen , it’s called “Even If” God I know your able and I know you can Save through the Fire with your mighty Hand but Even If you don’t, my Hope is you Alone. I know the struggle and I know the hurt would all go away if you just say the Word but Even If you don’t My Hope Is You Alone. This speaks so much hope to me in my Life right now. I have prayed many years for my husband to be delivered & the Godly man the Lord created him to be. It’s so hard sometimes to keep the Faith when you see no change, but I know God is able & my greatest Hope is in him Alone
I have learned that my joy & my peace is in Him. God bless you!
I’ll have to look that song up. It’s funny because I felt God telling me a few years back that I needed to turn my “what if thinking” into “even if thinking.”
No matter what happens, God is going to get us through it…EVEN IF! Angela, I’m sorry about the situation with your husband. That can be so painful. I’m praying with you for deliverance and for Him to have a desire to draw closer to the Lord and be set free. Thank you your transparency and heartfelt comment. God bless you!
Great post. I remember seeing a post somewhere a few years ago when I was In a bad place that said “Do it scared!” Doing something, especiallyif afraid we do it afraid is a way of activating faith.
Not always easy but usually worth the step.
Yes, that is SO true! I’ve learned that in order to discover how not to be afraid I have to enter into situations that make me anxious so I can learn how to trust in God through them. It’s definitely a way to activate faith for sure!
This is a great post, Valerie. It’s ok to have fear as long as we don’t let it hold us back from doing what God has asked us to do. I fear launching my online course for teen girls. I fear it will fail and that it won’t be successful. However, I cannot let that stop me from finishing and launching it! I have to have courage and saddle up anyway!
Thanks for sharing on Grace and Truth.
I’m so glad you’re not holding back that online course for teen girls. What a wonderful way to minister to them. I’m sure it will be such a blessing for teens.
Fear keeps me in one place. Fear of failure . Fear of disappointment. Fear of judgement. I need to remind myself that my father knows my potential and he knows where he needs me to be. I only need to trust in him.
Amen Jenn! Fear keeps us stuck in one place and we can miss out on so much that God has for us.
Hi, I found your blog through the link party on Mrsaokaworkingprogress.com. I am loving your blog so far and look forward to reading more soon!
Thank you so much!
<3 Love this, Valerie. The father of lies is also the father of fear. ugh. Good reminders of the power of faith. 🙂
Thank you Brenda!
Fear is a struggle for so many of us. Reminding myself of God’s Sovereignty over every situation has given me great peace in times that fear has taken root in me.
I agree! When I remember that God is always in control then I can rest in His sovereignty.
The fear I struggle with the most is that I will never get it all done. All the house work, all the blog tasks, all the work stuff, all the faith stuff. All of it. There is just so much to do. I can overcome this by believing God’s timing is better than my own and that as long as I keep my eyes on Him, I will get done what needs to be done at just the right moment.
I know that struggle too Heather. We focus on one thing and work collects in another area. I love how you said you can overcome worry by believing that God’s timing is best and eventually we’ll get done what needs to get done.
I’m afraid of an uncertain future for my family and instead of being worried about it all the time and being on edge with my husband and children because of it, I need to let go and let God. I need to remember He has control! This is such an amazing post. I’ll be sharing this on my blog FB page, my personal FB page, and pinning like crazy. Thank you for this!
Thank you for sharing Elaine. Praying for God’s guidance and provision for your future. May God fill your mind with peace.