Hello Ladies! It’s time for another “Roxi chat”! I’m not sure about where you live, but while walking around my neighborhood in San Diego during the COVID lock-downs, I noticed many social messaging signs appearing in front yards. I thought it interesting, and sad, that during a time of fear and anxiety people made what was in my minds-eye, divisional messaging their solace rather than God. So I thought, I’m going to put a sign in my yard too that provides an alternative response of hope, and I purchased the pictured sign; “Faith-Over-Fear”!
I would like us to consider today that God has determined that life will include uncertainties. Pleasant predictabilities are never a guarantee in the life of faith. But why? Because God wants us to learn to trust Him. Uncertainties shift control from us to God. We are to live a life of trust. The other option is self-reliance. And this option tends not to serve us well.
I would like to share with you my story of self-reliance. As far back as I can remember, I have been an “I’ve got this person” …trusting in my intellect, financial disciplines, and a dual income household to provide peace of mind. But then it happened in 1993 after being married for just two years, my husband got laid off from his job and our household income was cut in half. We were paying tuition for our two youngest son’s Christian school and we had many other financial obligations to meet as well. I heard the Lord telling me, “I want you to stop relying upon yourself and lean upon me”! I thought, well I better be obedient to what the Lord is telling me and I posted this verse on my refrigerator as a constant reminder – Philippians 4:6; “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” What this meant to me was not necessarily presenting material requests to God, but “letting go and letting God” be the steward of my life. And God was faithful to not only sustain us, but prosper us. We continued to tithe, we got further into debt, but God gave us favor with promotions and my husband got his teaching credential and was blessed with an amazing new job. Trusting and relying upon Him, He got us out of debt within a few years after these events.
Corrie ten Boom, a Holocaust survivor, put it this way: “Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength—carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.” Ladies, isn’t this so true for us today? We are worriers by nature!!
So what does God’s word say about Faith and Fear? Psalms and Proverbs tell us: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom….yielding rich knowledge of God, and the instruction of wisdom brings humility over honor! Romans 1:17 tells us: “’For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’” and Proverbs 3:5 says; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
So we are to “Live by faith, and trust in the Lord because: faith leads to fearlessness, trust leads to tranquility, and prayer leads us into His presence with a thankful heart. May you be encouraged and blessed by God’s faithfulness!!
