Have You Been Paralyzed by Fear in Your Life? [It's Time to Overcome]

Do you ever get tired of being afraid? Are you tired of not living up to whom God made you to be? Have you been paralyzed by fear in your life? If you feel this way, it's because you've already realized that there's more inside of you. This explains why you can’t find rest in your present situation. There’s a burning desire, a "God thing" in you that won’t let you be alright with just anything.Why not give in and find rest in a new exciting journey? Does just the thought of this fill you with fear?

The fear of failure is the number one reason people confine themselves to mediocrity and become paralyzed by fear.

I want to challenge you with something. Close your eyes and think about the things that you are capable of today. Envision yourself doing things that don't push you to the limit and expand your ability.

It's time to redefine your boundaries and stop being paralyzed by fear.

As Christians, we are always asking God to bless us. “God bless you” is as common as saying “good morning” to us. We want God to bless all the people we encounter and us, but what does this blessing really require. The prayer of Jabez is an ask for living outside our comfort zones.

Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, "Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain." And God granted his request. - 1 Chronicles 4:10

There’s no increase without stretching, stretching of who you are and what you are capable of. I read this statement on a Pinterest board,

Every new level in life requires a new version of you.

What you have been doing is not going to get you to where you need to go, and that’s okay. The present operating system has served us well thus far but we all need an upgrade every now and then so we can adjust to the changing circumstances. Let’s throw away, ‘that’s just how I am’ and embrace ‘for the sake of Christ, I am what He needs me to be.’

[Here's a related DailyPS post on the topic of growing yourself: 'How to Live a Life That is Proactive Instead of Reactive']

Here's an example of this: the manufacturer of the phone is the one that releases the upgrade. Samsung can’t give you an Apple upgrade. God knows what we need even before we ask, He knows the beginning from the end. Remember Moses when he is called by God to lead the children of Israel, and he responds by saying he is not adequate. How many times do we say in our hearts, it’s just not for me, but we really mean I’m not adequate for such a task.The book of Exodus recites this interesting proclamation of ‘I’m just not good enough’:

Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”And the LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD? - Exodus 4:10-11

Can you imagine being Moses and telling the Lord that even though he has sent you, it’s not going to change that you are not able to do it? That’s basically what Moses is saying, and yet I think most of us can imagine this very well because we have done it. God whispers, “do this,” and we quickly say “that’s a job for somebody else. Someone better than me” and go on with our life. Then we wonder why opportunities never come our way. We don’t realize that we give them all away. We grumble and complain in our hearts that everyone else seems to get all the goodness in this world. Yet we redirect our blessings to others.

Most blessings just look like work, and who wants more work, but the beauty and revelation of God is in the work.

Moses experienced miracles and a closeness with God while he was on assignment that he would never have if he had walked away from the calling of God. There were a lot of highs, and a lot of lows in the work but all throughout the hand of God was present. What a beautiful thing to know that God is in it.James 2:14 says, “Faith without works is dead.” We’re praying, believing, and let’s make sure we are doing. Take up your mission with joy in your heart, knowing that God will lead the way, and whatever may come, “it is well.”