Overcoming fear

As a kid growing up I had sooo many nervous habits, I was a little bundle of fear. I was known as a worry wart. My family would even say, "you worry about worrying".

I would worry about making decisions or not making them - what if it didn't go right, who would be upset/hurt, what could happen? A lot of worse case scenarios played out in my mind. 

As a kid there seemed so much to worry about, so much to be fearful of; Exams, school, people being ill, making friends, being late, starting anything new. These things plus many more concerned my young mind. It resulted in me being fearful most of the time. I had lots of nervous habits and I'd twitch a lot and didn't really know how to relax. My young mind was always occupied with some kind of worry. 

I don't know why I was such a worrisome child, but I was. It did not improve as I grew up either or even when I started going to church. The fear remained. The worries continued, the nervousness stayed.

As I got older I got better at trying to hide it, I would be the one hiding in the corner avoiding speaking to people, or tidying up just to keep busy so that I didn't have to talk to anyone. I was always the compliant friend who 'didn't mind' what we do, when in fact I was probably to scared to make the choice. I still had the nervous habits but seemed to be able to keep them under some kind of control when not at home. 

As I mentioned earlier, I started going to church. So, at the same time I started reading the Bible. After a while a came across this verse.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

The first six words changed my life! 

It was like a lightbulb went on. I suddenly realised, that in the areas where there is fear in my life, I am not feeling loved, safe, secure. I am without love in those areas. 

I understood that I would have to ask God to show me his love in those areas, and at the times when I was scared and worried. 

Now, God is kind and gentle. He didn't bombard me with all the things I was scared of at once, in fact he's still working with me on it decades later! 

God has helped me overcome many fears since then. 'There is no fear in love' - Wow! 

For someone who couldn't get through a day, or an hour even, without being afraid, I couldn't even imagine being free of that. 

I have had to do my own bit in overcoming these fears. I have had to do the very things that scare me and trust God to make it easier. It's taken a lot of practice, but now I am not the worry wart any longer! I am so grateful that God released me from being a prisoner to fear. He can do the same for you too. 

Trust that you are loved in the situations that scare you, believe that God is with you and will help you and keep practising. For me fear didn't just vanish when I read this scripture, but its taken practice, and repetition. I have often recalled this verse to mind almost as a war cry. I thank God for the transformation he has done in my life. I know he can do the same for you too. 

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

2 Timothy 1:7

God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.