Face your fears, or fear will shape you!

We all live with fear every day. “Socially acceptable” fears get talked about easily – the fear of heights, public speaking or spiders – it’s quite common to admit these. They are surface-level fears that usually only affect our lives in very small ways.

But there are more foundational, deep seated, often subconscious fears that actually powerfully shape our lives. Science shows that 90% of our choices in life are decided by our subconscious minds – and when fears lurk here, we often don’t even realize how much they shape our life decisions.

We make career choices, avoid deep friendships, run from churches or small social groups, bypass commitments, fear authority or intimacy, leave schooling early or even “self-destruct” good opportunities to keep ourselves from the pressures of success, all because of subconscious fear.

So what are these deep, whispering worlds of fear within us that shape our choices?

They are usually the core beliefs that we are not good, or are unlovely or unlovable. That we are not clever enough or that if someone got too close, and knew the “real” us, they would not like us. That we are ugly, stupid, silly, fake, unworthy, irrelevant, not strong enough or as capable as those around us.

These swirling tides of poor thinking eat at our self confidence and our God confidence; making us avoid God’s best for our lives. They claw at our faith, intimidating us out of taking on great challenges. They loom large in our emotions at social gatherings, or in public opportunities, in times when blessing and favour could break out and lift our lives to new levels. We avoid anything where the prospect of others judging us, or having opinions about us is possible. In essence, our insecurities isolate us from destiny and we live in either a “man pleasing” or passive aggressive manner.

In essence, ultimately our insecurities isolate us from destiny.

So what must we do?

We must lean toward our fears, and not shrink back. We must open the doors to the deepest, darkest rooms in our subconscious minds and allow the merciful grace of God, to cast out all fear. We must hear the “I love you” of our Heavenly Father, spoken into every room of fear in our hearts. His approval of us, heals us. 

“Perfect love casts out all fear” 1 John 4:18

Then, like David running at Goliath, we must run, not from our fears, but run headlong at them; and to dance in victory upon them! We must sing the barren woman’s song over our weaknesses (Is 54:1). We must praise loudly at prison walls like Paul & Silas. We must shout passionately at Jericho’s intimidating grandeur. We must wrestle dark fears into the submission of scripture, just as Jesus did in the desert.

As God’s love overwhelms our deepest “fear thoughts” with child-like approval and faith in the Father, then we will start to make very different choices in life. We will no longer avoid the people, the positions, the plans or opportunities God has for us – but rather dance with delight, using every move of destiny He has written for our lives.

So, begin to name those fears right now, and let the love of God wash them away….

My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

Psalm 138:15-16