"It's a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally. It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet, and what is sand." -Madeleine L'Engle
The props have been pulled out from under me this week. Not the seen ones, like family or shelter or job or finance. But the unseen ones, the false ones I've made with my own hands. Fear has come to visit, sneaking through the cracked back door rather than knocking at the front. And he secretly tried to steal away valuable Truth before I even knew he was in the house.
He is so crafty, this Fear, that I take him on as my very identity: I am Afraid, I hear myself say. And in the saying, I practice the presence of Fear, rather than rest in the safety of God. Jesus says His spirit within me is one of power, love and a sound mind. But He whispers while Fear screams.
Fear screams for me to run.
But God beckons me, Come.
Fear pushes me to produce protection.
But God whispers I have already overcome.
And so I stand on rock and watch as the sand sinks swiftly down.
To be love-led rather than fear-driven is to stand on the rock underneath. Where have you placed your feet today?
ABOUT EMILY FREEMAN
Emily Freeman is a writer who encourages girls of all ages to create space for their souls to breathe. She is the author of Grace for the Good Girl (Revell). She and her husband live in North...
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love-led rather than fear driven.
Emily, I will carry that with me.
Thank you.
Thanks, I desperately needed these words this morning!!
Love this. A beautifully written reminder.
I loved this! Brief yet so powerful.
Thank you!
What a beautifully, well written piece. Thank you!
We must be living in the same house. Sometimes fear {and its accompanying friends} throw me for such a loop it takes days to stand firm on the rock again. Too often I’m better at practicing untruth than Truth. Thank you for the reminder that a “sound mind” has already been claimed for me.
I woke up needing to hear this today. Thank you for sharing your heart Emily.
“all other ground is sinking sand”!!
Those were my words yesterday, “I am afraid.” Today, I will take these words with me, “Love-led rather than fear driven.” Thank you so much Emily!
Oh…I know fear. I just finished reading through some entries in my journal about this very thing. Right now…I choose not to listen to fear’s voice but to the calm voice of faith, but I know that lurking darkness will gather another day trying to snare me. When it comes, I will pray again knowing that the light will eventually shine through and I will grow stronger with each duel. So…for now I’m standing on the rock watching the sand be sand—change and reform.
Emily, I’ve been following what you’ve said about this topic on your blog, too, and it has helped me during a season where I’ve allowed fear to reside in my house for too long. I love the words He gives you…”Fear pushes me to produce protection. But God whispers I have already overcome.” A-to the-MEN!
I will remember these words. Thank you!
aslan is on the move…i am undone…He truly is calling and SHOUTING to His own that we are His beloved…REJOICE! You are ALIVE and hearing!
“My beloved speaks and says to me: ‘Arise, my love, my beautiful one, and come away, for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come…”
Song of Solomon 2:10-12
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziJQJI2uElI&feature=player_embedded
Loved this. Well written and much needed. Thanks.
“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand”
Oh, Lord, help us to stand on the rock of Jesus! And help us to KNOW He is the only rock!
So familiar with living fears identity and practicing his presence. Oh to be love-led rather than fear-driven.
WOW! This is something I needed to read and hear and take in. I keep reading it over and over.
“I practice the presence of Fear, rather than rest in the safety of God. Jesus says His spirit within me is one of power, love and a sound mind. But He whispers while Fear screams.”
It is so hard at times to hear the whispers of God over the screams of the fears within me. It is so hard to find the rock because I feel like I’m stuck in the quick sand. It is so hard to rest in Him when I’m so busy struggling with the need to run away and proetect myself and build my own props as you said.
I am constantly struggling with these as of late and I know that God is working on me in regard to this becuase he keeps bringing me to posts and blogs about fears and about listening to His calling. And yet here I am again “practicing the presence of Fear”
Thank you for your post and for helping me to see the truth of what I am doing by not standing on The Rock and believing that it has already been overcome for me.
In Christ alone!! Thank you for this message, it has blessed my heart! Praising God for you and the message He gave through you!
I will recommend not to hold back until you earn enough cash to buy different goods! You can just get the personal loans or short term loan and feel fine
Heya..thanks for the post and great tips..even I also think that hard work is the most important aspect of getting success.