Fear

This theme has been too evident & close in my life... not for myself necessarily, but for a number of people around me.


i dont like it. i dont enjoy it. i pray against it. it makes me angry because i see the life that fear is robbing from those around me...


" Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts & minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things." Philippians 4:4-8


Note the bold words. And the peace of God... will guard your hearts and minds... 
its not fear. Fear will have you shoot at anyone & anything, good or bad... just to protect itself. 


I think of the battle scene at Helm's Deep (think Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers) where the elves come &, essentially, try to help save the day. What if they had feared? They probably wouldve just started shooting at the elves THINKING that they were the bad guys... their fear wouldve told them that. 
Thats what fear does. it tells us that anything & everything good, is really harmful. Ive had fear shoot out at me. ive seen fear shoot out at those that i love. its not fun. its not pretty. its ugly. its false. and, if you look close enough, it betrays itself.


This verse has been one that i remember from around the time that i was... oh man... i dont even remember... there were puppets that taught us this verse, & i ended up winning a fun dip out of it. Go Bible Camp. (Stacy... if youre reading this it was Camp Grindstone!) Anyway, this verse has always stuck with me, and i am more thankful for it now than i ever have been...


"God hasnt given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and of a sound mind (or self-discipline)." --2 Timothy 1:7.


OneRepublic has a song called Fear. Its kind of beautiful...




Fear by OneRepublic


No sleep today
cant even rest when the sun's down
no time, there's not enough
and nobody's watching me now


when we were children we'd play
out in the streets just dipped in fate
when we were children we'd say
that we dont know the meaning of


fear, fear, fear
fear, fear, fear
we dont know the meaning of 


when we were children we'd play
out in the streets just dipped in fate
when we were children we'd say
that we dont know the meaning of 


fear, fear, fear
fear, fear, fear
we dont know the meaning of 


wish i didnt know the meaning of




Well... the last line is true... i wish i didnt know the meaning of fear... but i do. and im thankful that the Lord loves me... and cares for me... and doesnt wish for me to live in fear.


So i keep on doing what ive been doing... praying against that fear... praying against the fear that is binding those that i love... 


courageously attempting to not know fear,
Lauren