Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Facing Our Fears

People are afraid of all sorts of things.

Spiders.

                                   


                                       Snakes.




                            
                            Even clowns. Especially this one.

(Oh great, now I'm going to give myself nightmares tonight.)

None of those really bother me that much. (Except Pennywise the Clown from the movie It. He bothers me.)

What am I afraid of? Silly things like writing a book.

I have at least six projects started. I'm not sure if all of them have the potential to turn into a published work, but a few of them do. I'm just afraid to sit down and put the time and effort into writing them. 

I like the idea of a finished book, but I'm afraid, and so I do other good things so I have an excuse for not writing. It's not even that I'm that busy with those other things. I have plenty of time to write, but my anxiety keeps me stuck in limbo. 

I'm unhappy with where I am, but I'm afraid of where I want to go.

I think I'm finally getting sick enough of my lack of forward motion that I'm ready to push ahead.

I had a little talk with my wise husband tonight. He must get so tired of repeating the same words of encouragement over and over. "I believe in you. I know you can do it, you just have to write the book."

I don't know what you're afraid of right now. Maybe it's a new job opportunity. Maybe it's a leadership role you don't feel ready for. Maybe it's a new relationship opportunity. Maybe it's a clown.

Whatever it is, you can do it. It's worth the risk to attempt it even if it doesn't turn out the way you hope. 

I realize that I've missed a great opportunity in recent months. When I've been sitting at my desk and my anxiety rises about writing I've turned to Facebook and Netflix to escape my fears. Instead, I could have turned to God and talked to Him about everything I'm feeling. I could've prayed until the anxiety passed and I was ready to tackle that writing.

I'm going to try that this week. How about you?                              

Is there anything you've been afraid of lately? How can focusing on God help you to face those fears and move forward in spite of them?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Fasting

I didn't really have a topic in mind for my Focus Friday this week. Usually I have something rattling around in my brain for most of the week and then it comes out on Friday sometime. This week, nothing.

Then I read a guest post by Susan Gregory on Ann Voskamp's site (www.aholyexperience.com). She wrote a wonderful post about finding hope by practicing "The Daniel Fast." I had heard of that before, but I had never tried it. I met some women at the Authentic Intimacy Conference who had done The Daniel Fast at the beginning of the new year and they had great things to say about it. Susan gave many examples of people who had found answers to prayer and gotten closer to God through this partial fast for 21 days. "Clinging to God through prayer and fasting helps keep hope alive."

I've always been intrigued with the discipline of fasting. I've read about it and tried short fasts before, but I've never embraced it fully. I sat in front of my computer and thought about things I've learned about fasting. I thought about times in the Bible where people had fasted before they made an important decision or needed wisdom for something major. I thought to myself, maybe I need to do something like that.

Almost immediately, I felt resistance in my heart. I clicked out of the post and got up. I went to the kitchen and fixed myself a cheese quesadilla for supper. I drank some root beer.Then I made a bowl of ice cream with sliced bananas and chocolate sauce. Then I rummaged around in the kitchen a little more and scooped up a cupful of chocolate chips and mindlessly ate them while I watched Wheel of Fortune.

Even as I ate, I was aware of the conflict in me. It was almost like my flesh was asserting itself: If you're even thinking about denying me whatever foods I want for 21 days, then I'm going to get all I can tonight. I don't care what you think. My brain reassured me: God loves you no matter what. You don't have to fast to get His love. Fasting isn't one of the ten commandments. You don't have to do it.

Now that I'm sitting down to write, I can see more clearly. I don't deny my flesh very often. I often eat whatever I feel like eating, whenever I want to eat it. Sometimes I hold off until I'm hungry, but often I just eat when I'm bored or stressed or upset.

Understand me as I write. I'm not trying to guilt all of you into fasting. I just want us to think about how we live. Are we feeding our bodies with too much food when we're really in need of more of God?

I like a quote that Susan Gregory had in her guest post: "I knew from personal experience about the power of fasting. I knew what it was like to be so hungry for more of God that the only way to be fed was to fast."

I'm going to think more about this discipline of fasting. I may even get to the point where I'm willing to give it a try someday. How about you?

"While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, 'Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.' So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off." (Acts 13:2-3 NIV)  

Have you ever practiced the discipline of fasting? How can focusing on God help you to consider saying "No" to your flesh and seek to be filled with God instead of just food?

*For more information about fasting, you can check out some of these resources:

http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/fasting-for-beginners - This looks like a great article to begin learning about and practicing fasting. You don't have to jump right into a 21 day partial fast.

www.daniel-fast.com - The Daniel Fast is a 21 day partial fast. This site has resources, recipes, and Susan's blog. I'm going to spend some more time here as I consider fasting.

https://www.cru.org/train-and-grow/spiritual-growth/fasting/personal-guide-to-fasting.html - I haven't read this series of articles yet, but Campus Crusade for Christ is a great organization. I think what they have to say will be worth reading.

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Health

I'm getting sick.

It stinks.

I thought I was going to make it all the way through this winter without the coughs and other respiratory complaints I heard from many of my friends in recent weeks. I got my flu shot and washed my hands a ton. We spent time with Erin in Germany while she was sick with a cold and I didn't get it. Friends at church were kept up at night by terrible coughing spells and I didn't get it.

The past few days I felt it coming on. Just a slight tickle in my throat and the urge to cough once in a while. I thought maybe I was going to make it without it turning into anything substantial, but today it finally hit. My throat is sore, I'm coughing more, and my nose is just starting to run. I can feel it in my chest and my voice is getting deeper.

I'm going to bed early (well, early for a Friday night, anyway) and I'm going to drink lots of water and hope it doesn't get much worse.

As I slowly started feeling sicker throughout the day, I felt discouraged. I don't want to be sick. But, I also felt grateful in a way. At least I haven't gotten sick so far. We're already halfway through December and I haven't been sick once. I thought of all of the people I know who have been really sick with colds and flu. I thought of people who have gone through surgeries, some minor and some major. I thought of many people who have had to go through cancer, some got better and some didn't.

Our health is something we often take for granted until we don't have it. Let's spend some time today being grateful for the good health we have had. If we are sick, let's pray for healing and keep our focus on God while we go through the illness, whatever it may be. Let's pray for those who are fighting both temporary and chronic illnesses and ask God to help people know that He is with them through whatever challenges they are facing as they suffer with poor health.

I'm off to bed. I pray that everyone has a happy, healthy weekend.

"Now may our Lord Jesus Christ and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say." (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

Are you healthy or sick right now? How can focusing on God help us to get through times of illness with a godly attitude and not give up hope?

Focus Friday: Let's Focus on Anxiety

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6 NIV)

I've been a little anxious this summer. More than a little anxious at times. I have a full-time teaching job coming up in (gulp) 15 days, plus all of the other things that are just part of life and stress me out at times. So when we went to Colorado with our youth group this past week for Rocky Mountain High I tried to leave all of that anxiety behind and just enjoy the music, speakers, and beautiful scenery of this big youth event. I really did enjoy it.

On the last day I stopped by the prayer tent and had someone pray with me. I knew that I was going back to my normal routine and it was going to be difficult to deal with the stress. It was really helpful to talk things through and hear someone praying for me. After praying, the person asked me how I felt and I started to say, "Well, I still feel kind of anxious..." and I was shocked to hear them say that I couldn't do that. They adamantly proclaimed that I had no right to do that - at all. They pointed out that the Bible says not to be anxious and if I believe the Bible I can't be anxious. If I let myself feel anxious I'm just letting the devil win!

At first, I almost felt offended. How dare someone tell me I can't feel anxious? (*See note below) But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that they were right. I'm a Christian and the Bible does say not to be anxious. I've been pondering that often in the couple of days since we got home. It has helped. When I'm tempted to feel anxious, I remind myself to talk to God about it instead. I remind myself not to let Satan win.

I looked up verses about being anxious. Expecting to find lots and lots, I was surprised to find only 5 verses about it in the NIV Bible, and only 6 verses about worry. Evidently God didn't want us focusing on this habit and He didn't talk about it much.

On the other hand, there are 117 verses about peace in the New International Version of the Bible. Maybe that's where our focus needs to be. Focusing on our anxiety wastes time and energy and doesn't move us along in the right direction. It keeps us stuck. Let's all try to make a conscious decision to turn it over to God and experience His peace instead.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)

Do you feel anxious at times? Can you see how talking to God about it could help you experience peace instead? How can you remind yourself to do this?

[*Please note that this post is directed toward those of us who can make a conscious decision to turn from our anxiety and focus on better things. I realize that some people get stuck and feel so much anxiety that they have trouble functioning daily. I believe that some people need to seek out professional help when anxiety becomes overwhelming. They may need counseling and/or medicine in order to feel better and be able to look at situations more objectively. Get that help if you need it!]