Fear has this way of gripping your soul and taking you captive. This can be true in any situation, but especially in the world today.
It’s easy to be filled with fear when surrounded by one crisis after another.
Yet even when life seems to be spinning out of control, fear doesn’t have to determine how you react to the most recent report of bad news. That’s where faith come in.
Overcoming fear with faith isn’t easy.
Especially when the new normal is a contagious disease that evolves by the minute. Or stock markets that crash, jobs that disappear, and financial futures that are suddenly in jeopardy.
No, with those kinds of odds, overcoming fear can seem almost impossible. But if I’ve learned anything from the past, it’s that even the tiniest bit of faith can keep fear from controlling your life.
A scary diagnosis…
Fear comes in many different forms and attacks in all kinds of circumstances. But perhaps one of the most common is when your health is in question.
Shortly after my husband and I first met, we had one of those experiences. He hadn’t been feeling like himself and made an appointment with his doctor.
He was fatigued, seemed to be losing muscle mass, and was experiencing some memory loss. After a few different doctor visits, he was referred to a specialist.
The initial diagnosis was uncertain, but the doctors were learning towards cancer. They ordered more tests and left us to wait for the results.
And just like that, our fairy tale courtship took a drastic turn.
Even though we’d just met, it was clear from the beginning this would be a forever thing. It was simply a matter of time before he proposed, I said yes, and we began planning our happily ever after.
But in the course of one doctor’s visit, everything changed.
A serious conversation…
I don’t remember the exact order of events all those years ago or the many conversations that I’m sure took place. But there is one I haven’t forgotten.
We were sitting in my now husband’s truck shortly after we received the news. It was pouring down rain and we were trying to grapple with our new situation.
He finally voiced the words neither one of us wanted to think about. How could he ask me to spend the rest of our lives together when that future was so uncertain?
He didn’t want to put me through the unimaginable heartache cancer always brings.
Fear didn’t win this time…
Even though I’ve been a Christian a long time, overcoming fear with faith has never been easy for me. I tend to give in to the anxiety way more often than I’d like to admit.
I struggle to believe that God will work things out for my good and then release enough control to allow him to do so.
But for some reason, this time was different. I had this overwhelming sense of peace.
And I knew, deep down in my soul, that everything was going to be okay.
I told my husband I was committed to the relationship. I wasn’t going anywhere. And that no matter what the future held, I would be right there beside him.
I reassured him that God had good plans for us and this wasn’t the end of our story.
As the rain poured down, we sat inside that truck crying and praying together. We gave our fears to the Lord and felt his comfort in a real and tangible way.
Read “A Moment of Divine Protection“ for a comforting reminder of God’s presence and protection.
Fear strikes again…
It turned out the doctors were wrong. My husband didn’t have cancer.
After more tests and waiting than we would’ve liked, he was correctly diagnosed with a chemical imbalance of certain hormones. It was still a serious condition, but much more treatable than a terminal illness.
However, it wouldn’t be our last cancer scare.
Shortly after getting married, I was diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells on my cervix. Again, we sat in a specialist office. And again, we were presented with the “c” word.
But this time there was less uncertainty and no misdiagnosis. Cancer was a very real possibility if the issue wasn’t treated.
So, I had a minor removal procedure and scheduled follow-up appointments to check for redevelopment.
Everything went well and the prognosis was good. But for a new wife hoping to start a family someday, this particular health concern stirred up all kinds of fear.
And this time I didn’t handle it so well.
An important reminder…
I’m not sure where all the courage from the rainy day truck conversation disappeared to. But it was definitely gone.
I felt anxious and afraid. Instead of turning to the faith that had never failed me in the past, I allowed worry to drive my thoughts.
What if the cells returned and progressed into cancer? What if the procedure effected our ability to have children?
The onslaught of questions seemed never-ending. What if, what if, what if…
I couldn’t seem to shake the fear. It planted itself firmly in my mind and shook me to the core.
That’s the thing about fear. Once it gets a hold of you, it grows rapidly and without mercy. It creates an exaggerated reality where the problem gets all the attention and solutions seem hidden.
Fear feeds an endless cycle of toxic thinking. It chokes out one of the most important forces of human nature–hope.
And that’s exactly where I found myself. Lost in negative thoughts and only focused on myself. This time, I had completely failed at overcoming fear with faith.
But fortunately, I wasn’t alone.
Just as I had done for him only a few short months before, my husband reminded me of truth. He pointed out the facts of the situation, which weren’t nearly as dire as I had let myself believe.
And he brought me back to the only real weapon we have in this fight against fear–our faith.
Because fear is real. It’s strong. And it’s often bigger than our ability to fight it.
But what fear often makes us forget is that God is real too. And he’s stronger. And we don’t have to overcome fear on our own.
God is standing by, ready to deliver us in victory.
I desperately needed that reminder back then. And have many times since.
Read “Hope for When Life Gets Hard“ for more on hope in hard times.
Overcoming fear with faith is possible…
In over a decade of marriage, my husband and I have had countless opportunities to fear.
We’ve experienced more than our fair share of health challenges. Our family has endured financial hardships and job insecurity.
We’ve faced illness, car accidents, and loss.
And what I’ve learned time and again is that how I deal with my fear determines my level of emotional stability.
Read “19 Scriptures on Fear and God’s Power Over It“ for encouraging bible verses to help you fight fear with faith.
There have been times when I’ve reacted much like I did sitting inside the truck cab on that rainy day. And other moments when I’ve responded more along the lines of my cancer scare as a newlywed.
When I meet whatever the latest concern might be with faith, I’m able to remain peaceful and full of hope. But when I choose to let fear control my thoughts, I struggle mightily with worry and anxiety.
It’s easy to see which choice leads to a happier life. And while I’m far from perfect, I’m getting better at overcoming fear with faith.
A call to action…
Unfortunately, this world will never be without bad news. The current crisis will pass, but another one will follow.
That’s not a negative perspective. It’s just a fact.
But fear doesn’t have to get the final say.
Not when you know Jesus anyway.
With His help, we can fight fear with our faith. We can live confident and full of joy, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Because now, more than ever, this world needs people determined to choose faith over fear.
People who focus on the truth found in the Bible over what’s heard in the news. Christians who are informed without being consumed.
But most of all, this world needs us to remember that our biggest fears pale in comparison to our Almighty God.
So, let’s fix our eyes on him.
And let’s be an example that overcoming fear is possible–when we just have a little faith.
Fear is an invisible, but destructive enemy. But we don’t have to fight it alone! Do you have an overcoming fear with faith story? I’d love to hear it! Please share in the comments below.
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