In my book “Keys to Unlock the Treasures of Heaven”, I talk about how trauma and my genetic predisposition influenced my life, and how it prevented me from walking fully in my destiny and true potential. Another stumbling block in my Christian walk was overcoming fear. We all have moments where we allow fear, doubt, and second-guessing to creep in and consume every part of our bodies. The smallest of negative or second-guessing thoughts become huge monsters that minimise the amazing truths and guidance God wishes to share with us.
We fear the unknown, or are overwhelmed and pressured by society’s norms; fear being wrong or making the wrong choices. I prefer to wait until I’m absolutely sure that the outcome looks favorable, safe, and calm before approaching a decision.
Most of us have experienced a nightmare where we are confronted by a faceless entity whose goal is to consume and overwhelm us. However, it’s not about the enemy’s evil tricks, but the debilitating fear in our minds.
When faced with these challenges, change, transition and making life decisions, we revert to our primal instincts which urge us to flee, freeze, fight, or fawn. Instead of moving forward in victory, we find ourselves in flight mode, constantly running away and indulging in addictive behaviors, or as workaholics, overburdened with responsibility. Or maybe you freeze, feeling depressed, anxious, stuck, isolated, and immobile. In fight mode you act out of self- preservation, angry and stubborn, bitterly blaming others. Alternatively, you may be in fawn mode trying to please everyone, boundaries lacking, avoiding conflicts, or making decisions.
On my quest to overcome fear, God gave me a symbolic picture of a ladybug. At first, I wasn’t sure what He was trying to say to me as I don’t believe in “luck”, the universal symbolic meaning of a ladybug. On further research, I found the biblical meaning: “God will show the way.” God told me He was in control and would lead me every step of the way.
God gave me this tangible object to hold onto for days when it feels like there’s no way forward. When my faith levels are low, it reminds me to focus on God as my true direction. I don’t worship it or make an idol of it. I’ve found a little pendant and wear it on a chain as a constant reminder to look up, trust, and know that God will bring direction.
Through the chaos and uncertainty miracles happen. It’s in those dark moments of the unknown, in the leap of faith and of not knowing, in absolute surrender to God that He can change the outcome. Learning to put our faith and trust in the instinctual inner guidance of the Holy Spirit takes courage and confidence. Confidence is birthed in healing and knowing your identity in Christ. We need faith in God that we will not get lost or be led astray and we need to stop believing that failure is unacceptable.
In moving with God and navigating new possibilities, we need to transition and embrace the discomfort and disruption that’s part of the process of change. God’s inviting us to surrender and let go of certain things, to have faith in something we can’t see yet, and be uncomfortable in the midst of the chaos. Are we going to partner with fear and doubt or surrender and let go? Surrendering sounds easier than it is in practice, yet it is at the base of our relationship with God. We need to have faith to trust in something bigger than us and allowing someone else to control the outcome. When everything around us is in chaos and things are going wrong as we face the giants in our promised land, are we still going to look to God? Can we say: “I know You are still in control. You’ve got this. I stand on the promise You’ve given me”?
“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10. NLT