Paralyzing Fear

Fear. 

What scares you? Think about it.
For a few months or so fear was controlling me. Worry and anxiety gripped me. In God's word He tells me: Fear not. Yet, fear I did.
Fear paralyzes. Fear controls. Fear hurts. Fear betrays. Fear lies.
Fear handicaps. Fear ruins. Fear keeps you from God.

Psalm 121

I lift my eyes to the hills. 

From where does my help come? 

My help comes from the Lord. 

He made heaven and earth. 

He will not let your foot be moved. 

He who keeps you will not slumber. 

Behold, He who keeps Israel will 

neither slumber nor sleep. 

The Lord is your keeper.

The Lord is your shade on your right hand. 

The sun shall not strike you by day 

nor the moon by night. 

The Lord will keep you from all evil; 

He will keep your life. 

The Lord will keep your going out 

and your coming in from this time 

forth and forevermore. 

The Lord is your keeper.
The Lord is MY Keeper.
I prayed: "Lord, I need to know you are with me" on July 2nd. On July 2nd, directly after I prayed those words I opened my bible and it fell to this Psalm.

Instead of fear keeping you from God allow God to keep you from fear.

I began to memorize this Psalm while I was en route to Romania with my church. On the airplane, saying goodbye to Kaleb, in the mornings, at night...I read it over and over. I prayed: "Lord, let me know you as my keeper. Let me see that this applies to ME. Let this soak into my heart. Not my head."

Do you know when He proved Himself as Keeper to me?
When I stepped out in faith. When I did something that scared me. When I relinquished control fear could no longer paralyze me. Instead of allowing fear to keep me from God I followed His call and HE kept fear from me.

He proved Himself as Keeper to me when I DID something that made me afraid. 
How can He show you He will keep you if you stay inside?
If you stay in the safe, comfortable box you've constructed you can't know Him as your Keeper.
You'll only end up living afraid in your own box.
It's ironic.
The worlds we construct to keep us safe and comfortable provide neither.

In the airplane, I was high above the ground. I wasn't in control of the plane. I couldn't see the pilot. I couldn't see my husband. I couldn't see my home. For nine days I was away from all that is familiar to me.
But...I was as close to God as I could be.
There is no safer place than God's will.

When I was most afraid God was most able to show Himself as my Keeper.
I didn't just read Psalm 121.
In stepping out of my box I got to experience its truth. 

I had so much fun in Romania. I made so many wonderful friends and we got to worship God and proclaim his Gospel to hundreds of people. I think it's pretty cool that on a trip where there are 135+ people He taught us each something personal.
In my small little world He showed Himself as Keeper. He kept me.
I would have missed SO MUCH had I not gone.

I pray you step out and let Him keep you, too.

The Lord will keep you from all evil; 

He will keep your life. 

The Lord will keep your going out 

and your coming in from this time 

forth and forevermore.
Psalm 121:8

Look at the beautiful view I would have missed!