How To Choose Faith Over Fear
Truly it all seemed impossible.
I told the Lord I would do anything He told me to, but when He actually gave the instructions, I was terrified. I began to talk myself out of what God was saying. I told myself maybe I was just making it up in my mind, or perhaps this was something I should pray about and wait a while longer so I could get more information, more details, and have more time to grow, prepare, and learn.
If God would reveal His plan then I could move forward in faith, but I allow fear to hinder my actions. I hold onto what I know and see, and I miss what God is orchestrating.
When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh, God gave Him specific instructions. “Get up, go to Nineveh, and cry out.” (Jonah 1:2) God provided a clear three-step process. He clearly told Jonah what to do, where to go, and how to speak. You would think if the details were spelled out so clearly, Jonah would have no problem following the instructions.
But instead of getting up and going to Nineveh, Jonah exerted his energy by fighting against the very purpose God designed.
It’s easy to look at Jonah and shake ours heads. If he only knew about the storm that would rise up causing him to compromise his life as a direct result of his disobedience.
The instructions God gave him seemed clear to me, but we know Jonah had other things in mind. Perhaps questions, fear, and doubt consumed him so much that he was willing to give up his life to pursue his own direction. It’s difficult to grasp the reality of his situation when we think of Jonah as a children’s Bible story. The reality is that Jonah was willing to escape God’s direction at all costs.
When it comes to us and our instructions, it begins to get complicated because we, just like Jonah, exhaust ourselves questioning God, doubting our skills, and forgetting everything we heard from God in the first place. As we run from God’s designed plan, we struggle and we fight. The question is how long will we run?
God has instructions for you and for me. I believe He spells them out clearly, yet we miss it by over-analyzing the details. We begin to feel like we could never succeed at the very thing God has called us to.
We begin to believe we must have misinterpreted what we heard in the first place. We obsess over the possibility of failure and we fight the very purpose God designed for us by trying to do everything in our own power. When we don’t succeed, we become frustrated, feeling like we are spinning our wheels and not fulfilling our true purpose in life.
God has a call for each one of His children. No one is excused or excluded from the instructions God freely offers. God could have easily chosen someone else as soon as Jonah ran the wrong way, but He pursued Jonah for the specific purpose of Nineveh even after Jonah jumped ship. How beautiful the mercy of our mighty Savior!
If you know God called you to do something for His kingdom and somewhere along the way frustration, and confusion has set in, it’s time to return to the instructions you once heard. Just like Jonah was given a second chance to go to Nineveh, many times God gives us a second chance too.
If God is calling you:
1. Don’t run the wrong way. Run to God.
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8(ESV)
2. It’s not time to have fear. It’s time to have faith.
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3(ESV)
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6(KJV)
3. You can’t do it alone. You need God’s presence.
The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17(ESV)
4. It’s not impossible. All things are possible with God.
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27(ESV)
Having faith in God’s call does not mean you completely erase every fear from your heart and mind. It means you take the first step no matter if your knees are knocking, your heart is palpitating, and your hands are shaking like a leaf. So go ahead. It’s time to take the step that God has instructed you to take. It’s time to do what you know God is telling you. Take the leap. Jump into the deep end and don’t look back.
When we finally choose obedience, we will see God’s hand at work. It might be the most difficult thing we have experienced. It might be a lot of hard work, and it might be that we see God in way we have never seen Him before. God’s power is available to each of us and His instructions are clear.
1. Get up.
2. Go.
3. Tell others.
Whatever it is that God is calling you to do, He will give you what you need to succeed.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6(KJV)
What are you waiting for? Choose faith over fear.
If you are in a season of fear I would love to hear about your journey, or if you have seen God work miracles through a simple step of faith let us know about it in the comments below.
Love & Blessings,
Micah
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This message was a great comfort to read. I’m consumed and overwhelmed with fear right now because my marriage is in serious trouble. My husband is openly involved with another woman and says he is confused as to what to do. My pain and brokenness is unbearable. Each day I just depend on God to survive one more day and I thank Him for his grace and mercy for me and my kids.
Veronica, I am praying for you today! I’m so sorry for what you are going through. Take it one day at a time with God’s grace.
Im so sorry to hear that! Gods grace is so great. Pray that he has a change of heart and for God to help you forgive him so that when God does his miracle in your marriage you both are ready to fully work toward fixing your relationship and your broken hearts totally relying on Gods grace and mercy. I Strongly suggest this momentary marriage by john piper. Dont give up on your marriage even if he has. Stand firm and strong in faith that Jesus someway and somehow can work a beautiful miracle out of this.
I love this post Micah! One of my favorite parts is ” Maybe we misinterpreted what God is telling us.” How easy that is to do when we let fear rule. I had those feelings of fear and doubt when I started writing. Are you sure God? What will I write about and will anybody read it? I am encouraged each day when I receive a comment or an email that something on the blog helped them. I am thankful that in spite of the fears, doubts, and inexperience God has enabled me to create something that can help and encourage others while giving God the glory! I thank God every day for the opportunity to use my blog to serve Him. Thank you for sharing such an inspiring and thought provoking post. Have a wonderful week and may God bless you and yours!
Thank you, Horace! Keep serving God and following His leading with your blog! You may never see the lives that are touched through your words. Many blessings on your ministry!
Wow. I want to say thank you for this. This blog post has encouraged me so much. I really appreciate you writing it and sharing. I’ve been doing Experiencing God and just last week we were on Jonah. Here is one of my blog posts if you want to check it out, : http://www.messtoblessed.com/who-am-i/
Really. Thank you again.
Great thoughts on who we really are, Victoria! Experiencing God is such a great study! I love your perspective on this!
I love that Psalm! “When I am afraid…” Too often I think we see it as “faith” or “fear,” missing what you’re talking about here: the progression from fear into faith because of His love and mercy!! Thanks for sharing : )
It’s truly one of my favorite verses in Psalms!
Thank you for this reminder today – having faith in God’s call does not erase every fear from my mind. But with shaking knees, we move forward in all He has for us knowing He goes with us. Glad to have been neighbors this morning at Inspire Me Monday. :)
You are so welcome! Keep moving girl!
Your words make me realize the importance of community as well in fulfilling the plan of God. What if Jonah had had a good solid friend in his life to unload on — would he have taken the ship away from Ninevah? Let’s hold one another accountable to the calling of God on our lives!
What a unique and compelling perspective! How important for us to keep each other in prayer. This also makes me consider the idea that we should share our calling with others so when we feel like throwing in the towel or checking out early, we have someone to spur us on. Thanks so much for your insight, Michele!
Yep! I needed to hear this today! I’m fearing the heart work/head work of creating a Life Plan–but I also feel compelled to write one so that I can stop drifting and get back on track with doing those things God has called me to do.
As God calls, answer. He won’t lead you astray. If that means putting a plan on paper, go for it! Just know, sometimes He leads us one step at a time, so don’t write your plan in concrete. Be open. But yes, develop goals!
Hi Micah! Happy to be your neighbor at the linkup at The Beauty in His Grip! I appreciated this post a great deal. I don’t tend to see myself as fearful, but I definitely see myself as one who can doubt what I might sense the Lord is leading me to do or be. My usual internal question comes from “why me?” to “certainly I must have misunderstood”. Reading this piece caused me to see that beyond doubt there is the fear beneath it to risk stepping out and trusting Him that comes from pieces of inadequacy that can pop up much less often than ever before, but still show up when I need to take a risk. Thanks much! Blessings on your day! Pam
Hi Pam! I too often question…oh how fear grips my heart. The enemy wants us to feel inadequate. The truth is with Christ we have all the qualifications we need. Thank you, Jesus!
Oh Micah! Your words are encouraging many today, friend! I love the honesty and simplicity of this post. 4 truths to remember when we face fear over our calling. Just what I need today! Pinning and tweeting because this is too good to keep to myself! :-) #RaRaLinkup
Thank you for passing this along, Betsy! Oh how fear gets in the way of God’s call. If we could just learn to set it aside. So much easier said than done, I know first hand. But perfect love (Jesus) casts out fear! Woo hoo! We are free my friend! Free indeed! #RaRaLinkup
Micah, I needed this bit of motivation to help me be bold, today. Thank you! I’m getting up and I’m going!!!
Happy Tuesday!
Megs
Great encouragement Micah! We all need to focus on the truth in God’s word so that our minds are renewed. When I’m discouraged I often find it’s a result of focusing on my fears instead of the fact that regardless of the situation God is faithful and will be with me, give me wisdom and sustain me. Visiting from Titus 2 Tuesday :)
Angela, when I focus on my fears discouragement is always the result. Little by little I’m learning to shift my focus. Thanks so much for stopping by.
I have struggled with those same doubting questions, Micah. How funny we are, saying, “God, lead me!” Then, when He does, we shrink back in fear.
I’ve heard this before: “Whatever it is that God is calling you to do, He will give you what you need to succeed.” But I needed to hear it again today. Thank, you, Micah!
Beautiful post!
Isn’t it ironic how we do that! We want direction, but when we get it…submission and faith are difficult to truly follow through with.
“When it comes to us and our instructions, it begins to get complicated because we, just like Jonah, exhaust ourselves questioning God, doubting our skills, and forgetting everything we heard from God in the first place. As we run from God’s designed plan, we struggle and we fight. The question is how long will we run?”
This. This is what I needed to hear. Right here, right now.
Lately, I have been pondering the call that God placed upon my heart several years ago. A call that I have half-heartedly followed here and there. And the main reason? It’s because I don’t want to. There. I admitted it.
I am a creative dreamer and I guess I feel a little upset over the fact of what I was called to do isn’t super creative. It’s not what I wanted to do. My selfish flesh is wanting a more “creative” way to spread the Gospel of Christ. Is that horrible to admit?
I, too, am afraid. Afraid of not being enough. How can God use me when, well, I’m just me? I’m flawed. I’m imperfect. I’m selfish. Very selfish.
Thank you for sharing your heart. I will be bookmarking this post and referring to it often. To remind me that God called me for a purpose.
Melissa, I hope you’ll follow hard after God pursuing the call He places on your heart. In all your selfishness, there is forgiveness and mercy and grace to make you “enough”. None of us are able without the help of our gracious heavenly Father who gives us the strength and know how, when we have no idea how or what. You are “enough” with Christ. Let Him do the work He has called you to.
What an encouraging post! Fear and anxiety plague so many women today, and they’re afraid to talk about it. I wrote a post on my site recently about overcoming anxiety and depression, which seems to be another taboo topic. Whether it be fear, anxiety, or depression, we are overcomers in Christ!
Jamie, I write a lot about depression. I will check out your post! It’s a tough topic to talk about, but so needed.
Wow, I needed to read this today. We are currently at a crossroads, and only 6 months after the previous one, so we are struggling with “did we misunderstand God?” or “are we misunderstanding Him this time?”. So much fear, so much confusion, and obviously not enough prayer! Thanks for sharing at Titus 2 Tuesday!
Stefani, I will pray for you!
Such an important post, Micah! Choosing faith over fear can be hard, but it’s absolutely life changing!
Thanks for reaching out, Lauren! I got your email and look forward to connecting!
Wow, reading your blog post today was certainly a God thing! I have never read your blog before, but I came across it as Jaime’s blog party, and I’m so glad I did. I have been struggling with believing that I am actually capable at doing what God has called me to do, even though I know confidently that he has called me in a certain direction. Your words spoke directly and candidly to me; I almost sat there stunned for a minute! I can see that God is using you through your authentic, honest writing. I am a fellow writer, and I encourage you to keep going! I will definitely be following your blog.
Jill! I’m so glad you are here! I hope to see you around more! Thanks for joining me today!
Micah, thank you for sharing. I enjoyed reading your blog. The first few steps of faith are scary. I’m so thankful that God meets us there and does not leave us hanging in fear by ourselves. Saying, “yes” to God is an adventure of faith with a Heavenly Father that is there to catch us for sure.
Amen!
Beautiful post, Micah! I so needed to hear this today. A friend and I coined a phrase we use to describe how God gets us Army wives where he wants us, no matter what – Jonah Moments. We make lists and request all the good places and then ultimately He sends us where He knows we need to go. Sometimes it where we wanted to go. Sometimes it’s where we needed to grow! Blessings. So glad to be your neighbor at both #livefree and Thought Provoking Thursday link-ups today!
Thanks for sharing your Army wife Jonah Moments phrase with me! I love that!
Great post. I was just talking to my daughter last night about the importance of acting on what you say you believe. If we wont “do” what He says, then it’s an indication that we don’t really believe. Such an important concept. Thanks for tying it to Jonah. It is a great story to help her (us) understand how we fight against God w/o even realizing it.
It’s so true. Sometimes when we fight, we don’t even realize it. It seems crazy when you think about it, but that just how sly the enemy is. Keep pouring the truth into your daughter. I love to hear stories like this.
How easy it is to think we can never succeed at the thing God has called us to do. Yet, God patiently waits for us to take that step of faith and to see all the wonderful things he has in store for us. Preaching to myself here! Thanks for a thought provoking post.
Thank you for this nice reminder! You encourage us to trust in God, and that is what we will do. :-) Your post inspired me to write an epigram. I call these tetrametric quatrains “locuses”.
HAPPINESS
Whatever work it takes,
your happiness it makes
if it by Christ is done,
the expectation gone.
Sorry; that is a trimetric quatrain, not a tetrametric. Such I call “pocuses”.
I definitely over analyze or think I heard wrong. These are great tips for me!
This was very encouraging! I’ve felt that same fear knowing that God asked me to do something specific, and I thought I would never be able to do it. He proves over and over that He can and will do amazing things through me when I obey.
Visiting from Sitting Among Friends Blog Party #16 :)
Fear grips us so often we sometimes don’t recognize what is holding us back. What a great and encouraging post to take that step toward Christ and not toward our own flesh. Thank you for sharing with us at Sitting Among Friends on Wednesdays. I look forward to seeing you again next week.
Lately I’ve been considering the difference between speaking words of faith from a position of fear rather than actual faith. I find I need to look at the attitude of my own heart in the light of God’s word before stepping out to make sure I can move forward in faith. In fact…! I just finished a post on this subject that I’ll be able to share with our Compel group very soon. :-)
Calista, I’m so glad to get to know you through our group! I can’t wait to read what you have to offer here! I hope you have a great day!
These are great steps and easy to remember. Wonderful words to walk away with today, Micah! Thank you:)
Meg, thanks for dropping in! Have a great week!
Important stuff, Micah! Thanks for the encouragement. From #livefreeThursday.
Hi Julie! Great to see you on the blog this week! I hope you and your family are doing well!