Don't Be Afraid

If there has been any one message that God has been sending me recently, it's "DON'T BE AFRAID!" I did throw in that bible verse, Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." That was, ironically, a bible verse a friend of mine googled and randomly picked to send me to encourage me in a rough time I was/am going through. At first I'll admit I wondered why that one. It's almost like he somehow knew, without me having said something, that I was afraid of some stuff because of the whole situation. So, I couldn't figure out why it was included.
I went to a new youth group that night with a friend (ok, well, more like my non-biological sister :) ) and guess what the lesson was on? Fear. Coincidence? I think not.
Then, well, I started this blog earlier and left it open while I watched an X-Files (AWESOME show btw :D ). When I come back, I open FB out of instinct, and scroll down, stopping at a picture of a candle. What does it say on it? "Pslam 27:1 'The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?'"
If all those aren't crystal clear, I think I'd need a cloud sign like one of those ones that airplanes make for special occasions and high prices. God can't really be too much clearer than sending His words at you through every source imaginable, whether it be a friend (who sent it unknowngly because they were unaware it would mean so much to you), a Facebook post (seems silly but God uses everything for His Glory, Facebook included), to a random comment from your mother about not being afraid (on a topic that I may bring up in later blogs but I can't yet in this one....).
Even in the music I've been listening to, that message comes through. The funny thing is, I put my IPod on shuffle and just let it play. Most of the songs that came one were ones I'd listened to once or twice and forgotten about or just hadn't listened to in ages.
Basically, what I am saying is, God's teaching me to stand strong in Him. Once I put so much as an ounce of my faith anywhere else, my world falls down. Or, rather, not falls, because that suggests even an ounce of grace. It crashes. It crashes right down on top of me. And I am left sitting in a pile of rubble wondering where I went wrong.... until something like this happens. I finally clue in.

Right now, I won't say I am not having a rough time. That'd be a total lie. I am having a rough time. I feel like I spend half my day crying and the other half hiding the fact that I need to. Well, now it's less than half.... things are getting easier. Time will heal wounds. I know that. Being patient can just be hard sometimes. Yet, there are moments when I don't think I CAN wait, and then there are moments like now where I can sit down, smile and mean it, and just look at how blessed I am. Sure when I got home I did homework, but I had a computer to use and internet to use to help me. That was in the house I had to go home to. And my work is from the private school where I go. I had dinner because there was a meal on the table. I sat with my parents, cuddled my various pets (my guinea pig, my cat, and my dog) and watched an X-Files on Netflix. I AM SO BLESSED. I can say when I get hit with that perspective I feel like I act like a whiny infant otherwise.

Life is hard. Christianity I think makes it harder. However, it also makes it more worth it; FAR more worth it. It is a commitment, but it has reward. It has an ETERNAL reward.

So, DO NOT BE AFRAID! God has commanded us not to be. Personally I find it's incentive enough just to obey God, but, also, living a life out of fear sucks. When you learn to stop being afraid, you learn to really live. So, sorry if I come across as a total hypocrite. I know you can't just drop your fears and be free. I sturggle with my own fears. Some are realistic, some are, admittedly, stupid. I have decided, though, I am working towards overcoming them through Christ since that's the only way I can.

God bless! I am praying for you (in the general sense that I hope everyone who reads my blogs will gain at least one small thing from them for God's glory)!