More Faith - Less Fear
The second workshop I attended at the retreat was titled "More Faith - Less Fear". Our women's ministry leader led this workshop. What caught my eye was in the description it mentioned specifically the fear of not measuring up. That is me!
Connie began by talking about how Satan desires to steal our joy. However, as believers, the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
She gave us four specific things to ponder. . .
1) Surrender your illusion of control by understanding God's love for you. Fear and anxiety come from trying to change the past and control the future. Paul said that he forgot what was behind him and strained toward what was ahead to press on toward the goal of heaven (Philippians 3:13-14). Our past is forgiven and over. Our future is in God's hands. Peter says in 1 Peter 5:6-7 that God will lift us up in due time so we should cast our anxiety on him because he cares for us.
2) Turn fears into prayers. Prayer consists of Praise, Repentance, Asking, and Yes (agreement with God's answers). We are told to pray without ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. We can lift up all our concerns to God.
3) Spend time in God's Word. Peter reminded us to be alert and sober minded (1 Peter 4:7). We need to spend time in God's Word to get to know Him better and to understand Satan's strategies.
4) Christian fellowship. The beauty of Christian fellowship is the encouragement we can receive through a listening ear, the sharing of Scripture and prayer. We can also benefit from fun and laughter!
Connie also talked about keeping ourselves occupied. Too often we can get down when we allow ourselves to sulk and have a pity-party. Some things she suggested were: exercise, deep breathing, eating well, rest and relaxation, getting regular medical check ups, not over-committing ourselves, stop saying "I can't", stop complaining and being critical, surround ourselves with believers through service and fellowship, forgive, and seek counseling if needed.
Trials are a guarantee in this world. But when you go through difficult things, your faith will grow if you choose to rely on Christ and not yourself.
By doing these many things, you can remain in a position where God can bless you.
Connie began by talking about how Satan desires to steal our joy. However, as believers, the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10).
She gave us four specific things to ponder. . .
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1) Surrender your illusion of control by understanding God's love for you. Fear and anxiety come from trying to change the past and control the future. Paul said that he forgot what was behind him and strained toward what was ahead to press on toward the goal of heaven (Philippians 3:13-14). Our past is forgiven and over. Our future is in God's hands. Peter says in 1 Peter 5:6-7 that God will lift us up in due time so we should cast our anxiety on him because he cares for us.
2) Turn fears into prayers. Prayer consists of Praise, Repentance, Asking, and Yes (agreement with God's answers). We are told to pray without ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5:17. We can lift up all our concerns to God.
3) Spend time in God's Word. Peter reminded us to be alert and sober minded (1 Peter 4:7). We need to spend time in God's Word to get to know Him better and to understand Satan's strategies.
4) Christian fellowship. The beauty of Christian fellowship is the encouragement we can receive through a listening ear, the sharing of Scripture and prayer. We can also benefit from fun and laughter!
Connie also talked about keeping ourselves occupied. Too often we can get down when we allow ourselves to sulk and have a pity-party. Some things she suggested were: exercise, deep breathing, eating well, rest and relaxation, getting regular medical check ups, not over-committing ourselves, stop saying "I can't", stop complaining and being critical, surround ourselves with believers through service and fellowship, forgive, and seek counseling if needed.
Trials are a guarantee in this world. But when you go through difficult things, your faith will grow if you choose to rely on Christ and not yourself.
By doing these many things, you can remain in a position where God can bless you.
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