Have you noticed there’s a thread of fear woven into the fabric of our everyday lives? It’s in social media, in conversations with our friends, and even in advertising. But rather than allowing fear to become an integral part of my life, I have decided I am moving into fear-free living.
By fear-free living, I do not mean recklessly endangering myself or others. No, I mean living life fully, but not being afraid.
I have been on an action-packed journey toward worrying less and trusting God more for several years now. (if you missed it you can catch up on some of the journeys here )
I have been able to enjoy periods and even seasons of living fear-free. And I am very thankful for them. But they didn’t last long enough. Fear still arrives, uninvited and unexpectedly.
Is Living Fear-Free Possible?
I want to move into living a fear-free life – all the time.
Is this even possible?
Lately these verses from Jeremiah 17:7-8 have been in my mind:
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.” Jerimiah 17:7-8 (NIV)
This sounds like practical advice. So yes, I believe living a fear-free life is possible.
What would it look like – feel like – to live without fear? Verse 8 provides a mesmerizing image. Even when the heat or drought comes, there is a picture of vibrancy (green leaves), and productivity (bears fruit).
A life without fear and worries.
In my life, maybe in yours too, I think the heat and drought are times of challenges. Serious situations with no clear answer in sight. Maybe economic hardships or difficulties with relationships.
Does that sound like your reality today?
But imagine facing these very real challenges without losing sleep or having a perpetual knot in your stomach because of stress.
How to Start Moving into Fear-Free Living
Where do we start to transition into living without fear?
I think the key is in verse 7. These blessings come to people who trust in the LORD, who have confidence in Him.
Having trust and confidence in the LORD fuels fear-free living. It’s what makes it possible.
So far, I have found these 4 actions have built my trust in the LORD:
- Studying the Bible
- Prayer
- Remembering God’s provision in my life
- Remembering God’s protection
But, now I see that every time before fear or worry emerges, I have moved away from spending time in at least one of these areas.
Maybe persistence is another key to fear-free living.
Building Trust by Recognizing God’s Protection
I am going to start by being more persistent in reflecting on God’s protection.
Some of His actions are evident immediately. Like this one. A few weeks ago, I was driving in busy rush hour traffic. Without warning, someone turned into my lane – right in front of me.
After I slammed the brake pedal to the floor, there was less than an inch between our vehicles. The drivers of the two cars behind me were also able to stop immediately. Major wreck averted – not by us!
I am thankful for this protection. I don’t know why God chose to intervene in the situation. But I do know just as the tree planted by the river, stores water and nutrients for times of heat and drought, I will store this memory for my next challenging times.
Reflecting on the times I have noticed God’s protection makes me wonder how much I have missed.
How many times is He orchestrating events that I am unaware of, to protect me now, or in the future? I am looking forward to spending more time mulling this question over.
This process is so powerful I don’t want to stop. As I see how much He cares for me by His actions I gain new insight into His nature. Which leads me to love Him more. And to develop trust – deep within my bones.
How about you? When has God protected you as you move through life?
I think this may be the tip of the iceberg of moving into fear-free living. Maybe we can think about some other actions to take next time.
Friend, may you be encouraged as you reflect and find examples of God’s protection in your life.