Petrify
At one point in my life I felt like I was stuck and unable to move.
I couldn’t pray.
I couldn’t understand any of the Scripture I was reading.
Then the Lord showed me a word:
Petrify.
To make rigid or inert like stone; to make lifeless or inactive (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
To make someone so frightened they are afraid to move. (Google)
That’s when I realized that silent, subtle doubt and fear had snuck into my life and petrified me.
This is what caused me to be stuck – I was paralyzed by fear.
I knew the remedy was to replace fear with faith.
I cried out to the Lord in prayer and asked Him to help me to break free and to show me what to do.
A phrase came to my mind.
“Perfect love casts out fear.” .
I remembered this is a verse from 1 John 4:18–
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (NIV)
You can’t have perfect love and fear at the same time.
A few verses earlier in this chapter it tells us that God is love and whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. (verse 16)
The answer was clear.
I had to choose God and His love over my fear.
Both can’t occupy the same place at the same time.
So I chose love.
It wasn’t easy.
Fear still tried to come back.
It took a while before I was able to walk without wobbling.
But, little by little, as I kept choosing to trust Him and to choose to trust in His love instead of allowing fear to guide my thoughts, I began to get stronger and braver.
I memorized .2 Timothy 1:7 and repeated it to myself over and over –
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind (KJV)
I still have moments when the fear tries to come back.
I still have moments when I am tempted to trust myself instead of God.
But, every time I do, I try to fight it
I try to remember what King David said,
3When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. Psalm 56:3 (NIV)
This has helped me so much.
When I do this, I can better focus on the Father and my faith walk.
It isn’t always easy.
Sometimes fear shows up hidden in other things – dread, doubt, uncertainty, anxiety – but if I will look at it for what it is, a stumbling block meant to stop me from trusting the Lord, I can better fight against it when it shows up and head it off.
There will be times when I am afraid.
There will be times when I am unsure of things.
But, if I will remember the truth these Scriptures teach us, I will never have to be petrified again.
What about you? Are there fears getting in the way of your faith walk?
Will you choose to let go of the fear and choose to trust God, no matter what?
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. -Jesus John 14:27 (NIV)