We received our first question in an email and we are so excited to be able to help out with encouragement and of course the Word! We want to encourage you to keep sending in your questions, because your question may not just be for you!
The question:
“I have a question about how to deal with fear. I am going into full time missions soon and I will be living in a beach town. It's so silly, but all I keep thinking about is, I'm going to live somewhere where everyone wears bikinis and all of the sudden my thoughts of acting out have been coming back. I find that I am afraid of so many things, and one of the biggest fears I contend with is the fear of "what if I go back to bulimia or cutting?!" Just the fact that I have considered behaviors for short moment terrifies me! So how do I best deal with this?
Also, do you remember doing "God's Creative Power" when you were at Mercy? I quit doing this after graduating, and I was wondering if there is anyone who still does it and they think it is beneficial to continue with?”
FEAR vs FAITH
I feel like I need to start off by saying, it is ok to be afraid to go back into old behaviors. But wait, fear is not of the Lord. That is lie number one. Fear is of the Lord! But wait, before you stop reading and get offended, listen. There are two types of fear, one is of the Lord, and one is not! To fear something so much to where it stifles your growth as a follower of Christ is an ungodly fear. But to fear something as in respect is totally healthy, in that I mean the fear of the Lord. Also to fear something because it will get between you and the Lord is also a healthy fear! Being afraid of going back to old habits is a good thing in moderation. This fear will keep you on your knees and at the feet of Jesus! When you start to fear going back to old behaviors so much that you will not leave the house and all you do is worry, that is when you have gone too far. Remember healthy fear keeps us close to the Lord because without Him we cannot overcome our daily lives, let alone our own minds.
Exodus 20:20
"Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
In this scripture Moses is saying do not be afraid, but fear God. HA! Makes no sense right? How can I not be afraid but yet at the same time I’m supposed to fear? GOOD QUESTION! To be afraid is to be fearful, literally meaning full of fear. When you are full of fear you cannot be full of anything else, including the spirit! But when you fear it means having a concern, a feeling of apprehension or dread (such as for a behavior); also meaning respect and reverence (for the Lord). Godly fear will keep you with the Lord, being afraid will keep you from Him!
A very close friend told me once that our minds have not yet caught up to the level of healing that we received at Mercy. We may be way past our behaviors but yet when we are stressed or something unplanned , unexpected or disappointing happens most often the first thoughts that rush to our heads are the very same thoughts that were there when we were drowning in our own suffering. It absolutely in no way means that you have gone backwards, it simply means that your mind has formed a habit and it needs to be broken. Breaking mind habits, and renewing our minds can take YEARS! And that is totally fine! The fact that you do not act out on your thoughts are proof enough that you are moving forwards! And if you do slip up and act out on your habits it does not mean you are all the way back to the beginning! If you stand up, repent and continue you will end up at the very same place you jumped off the wagon! God does not take away our revelation, our learning and love from us to teach us a lesson. God is not a school teacher, to where if you fail one subject in 3rd grade you have to repeat the entire grade over again! He will let you retake that subject while moving on to other things! God will push you, but He will not cause you to fail! That’s why it is important to keep God’s Word fresh in your mind. You can continue to read your GCP if you wish! You can read new scriptures! We have found that making new Godly Beliefs every time you need them and reading over them is GREAT! Nancy has put out a list of scriptural confessions that you build on week after week, I encourage you to get them and start with week one! You can get them from the Mercy Transitional Care facebook page in the notes section! If you cannot find them email us specifically and we WILL get them to you!
A lot lately I have been thinking about what if’s. God will call me to do something and I find myself thinking what if this happens and what if this goes wrong. I have to stop my mind and say, “I know God got me into this and I have no other choice than to believe that He will fulfill the Word that He has sent out! It will not return to Him void!” So if God asked you to do something He is going to get you through it. He will move mountains, He will slay your enemies, and He will part the seas and you will walk into the Promised Land! That is our promise as daughters of the King! If He asks you to follow, you can be confident that He will lead!
Isaiah 55:11
“My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Will you allow your fear to run over your faith, or will you let your faith rise above you fear?
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