- Fear (Voice Of Truth)

I've been thinking about fear lately. Fear is a terrible thing to have to live with. It's humungous; it's paralyzing....it's that crawly feeling in your stomach that comes when you hear bad news, or you imagine something awful happening to you, or to someone you love, or it's that wrenching within you when you think there's just no possible way that life is ever going to work out the way you hope it will.

Fearing the worst is the worst feeling in the world. It's no way to live.

And I am SO fortunate that in all the days that have passed since I received my cancer diagnosis, I am simply not afraid of what is happening to me.

At times, I've wondered why......but mostly I know why. It's because in my mind, I've gone over this ground many times before, and in reality, with nine cancers in our family, I've been half-expecting it for years.

I've even assumed, at times, that I had cancer, only to be told by my doctor that I was perfectly well.

But from time to time, I reviewed the scenario in my mind......what would I do if one day I was given this news? How would I react? Well, now I know! And I'm fine with it.

First of all, for me, this is not the worst thing that can happen to a person....I think I talked about that in a previous posting. It's not the end of the world....not my world, anyways.

Have you ever faced your fears? Have you ever laid awake at night fighting off random fears descending on your mind? Have you ever froze in horror at the thought of something in particular happening to you, and thought to yourself, "If that thing ever happened, I would just die! I'd die of fright! I'd die of grief! I'd die from the sheer pain of it!" or whatever?

But one thing I've been thinking is that, in order to be a strong, confident person and to be able to face life unafraid, the simplest thing to do - even right now as you sit there reading this - is to make a list of all the things you're afraid of.....

....your child being involved in an accident....
....your spouse leaving you for someone else....
....your doctor calling you with news similar to mine....
....your house burning to the ground, leaving you homeless and without possessions....

Are you still reading this? Or is this just too painful to think about? Don't log out just yet! I can imagine this is not easy for some of you to even imagine....and yet, I believe there is a wonderful freedom in doing exactly what I've just suggested, starting with making your "Fears List"....

....and then, if you do actually make such a list, the next, amazingly freeing step is this:

Look at each fear: look it square in the face, and begin planning in advance about how you will choose to react.

Of course, your first reaction may be stunned disbelief, shock, denial, hysteria, panic....whatever. That's normal - it's the human side of us, and there's nothing wrong with that.

But if you can get past that, can you possibly begin to imagine yourself getting through the emotion to the other side, and then choosing an attitude which will carry you through the rest of the ordeal? A kind of "decree" or a belief system that helps you soar over the problems and into peace and tranquility?

I know, I know - not all of us believe we'd even remotely be in control of our emotions enough to do anything but have a massive meltdown. A meltdown of epic proportions.

And yet, I think there is a strength within us that can emerge in the deepest of trials, especially if we have thought it through beforehand and "practiced" our responses. That's the only explanation I can come up with for why I am so peaceful and tranquil, and yes, even joyful! in this trial.

You see, as I've said, I had already imagined this scenario in my head....I had run through the script....and I had planned & hoped I'd be able to react exactly the way I'm reacting now. Pretty cool, huh?

And don't get me wrong - it's not all my strength: not by a long shot. I walked this through with God beforehand, and I'm realizing that with Him, fear just doesn't have that big a hold on me....not for this test, anyways.

Why? Because....

I am not afraid to die. I surrendered my entire life to him 'way back in 1978. That decision removed the fear of death a long time ago.

I am not afraid of surgery. My life is in His hands, and that is the safest place my life can be, on Tuesday, September 15th, when they do the double mastectomy, and on any other day of the year. My life is safe in His hands.

I am not afraid to have parts of my body removed. I can still enjoy life; still love; still dance; still rejoice...with the parts I have left.

I am not afraid of fear. I hate living life afraid - I did it for many years - and I would never want to go back to living like that. So I prayed and I worked and I strove to defeat my fears, and this past year, something wonderful happened.....

I discovered that my fears had been defeated! With God's incredible help and intervention, I - we - overcame those fears, and I feel FREE! It's so wonderful to feel free! It's how He wants us to live - free! God did not create us to live as slaves to fear.

Accept His wonderful, all-encompassing, all-enveloping love, and walk in that amazing love every day, and you will see that there is life beyond fear....invigorating, passionate life that will fill your heart with joy and eradicate every single, last fear.



Voice Of Truth     Casting Crowns
Oh, what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown
Where Jesus is
And He's holding out his hand

But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again
"Boy, you'll never win,
You'll never win."

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

Oh, what I would do
To have the kind of strength it takes
To stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound
Of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand

But the giant's calling out
My name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again
"Boy you'll never win,
You'll never win."

But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of truth says "this is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

But the Voice of truth tells me a different story
The Voice of truth says "do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of truth says "this is for my glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe (I will choose to listen and believe)
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of truth

I will listen and believe
I will listen and believe the Voice of truth
I will listen and believe
'Cause Jesus you are the Voice of truth
And I will listen to you.. oh you are the Voice of truth